SLORC continues torture of student

[shar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject:       SLORC continues torture of student leaders

SLORC CONTINUES TORTURE OF STUDENT LEADERS
==========================================

Though the SLORC claims that all pro-democracy students
imprisoned after the demonstrations of 1988 have been
released, according to a reliable source inside Burma
there are approximately 250 students still in prison.
These
students who remain in prison continue to be subjected
to both psychological and physical torture. The
following cases are first hand accounts of the
mistreatment of the students within Insein jail.


ZAW ZAW AUNG

Zaw Zaw Aung, a third-year history student at Rangoon
University, was the Central Committee member of All
Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) in 1988 when
he was first arrested and detained for two months after
the
demonstrations in Rangoon in March 1988. He was
tortured while in prison-injuries from which he has not
completely recovered. The method of torture included
kneeling down and walking on broken glass while being
hit and kicked by the guards. He was also
psychologically tortured through sleep deprivation.

After the State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC) came to power in September 1988, many members
of the ABFSU went underground and fled to the jungles
along the border with Thailand to take up the armed
struggle against the Government. Zaw Zaw Aung, however,
made the decision to remain in Rangoon and remain above
ground with the ABFSU.

In 1989, the ABFSU held its second assembly at Mandalay
University. Zaw Zaw Aung was among the seven students
who were re-elected to their posts in the organization.
At the assembly, the students decided to negotiate with
SLORC, but the Government subsequently arrested all
seven student leaders. In the case of Zaw Zaw Aung,
this occurred on June 27, 1989. On November 6, 1989,
Zaw Zaw Aung was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Between the time of his arrest and his trial, he was
kept in a military intelligence prison; his parents
were not allowed to see him. After being sentenced, he
was moved to Insein Prison where he was kept in an 8-
foot cell with four or five other prisoners. He was
only allowed out of his cell for 15 minutes in the
morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon for a bath. The
remainder of the day he was confined to his cell. In
the past, the prisoners used to receive 4 ounces of
meat once a week, but now they do not receive even
this. Because the food served twice a day at the prison
was bad, his parents would bring him food, but he did
not receive it all the time. At night he slept on the
floor. About 2,000 prisoners united and protested
against the poor conditions in the prison in 1991. In
response, the authorities transferred the leaders of
the protest to different prisons in November of that
year. Zaw Zaw Aung was transferred to Thayarwaddy
Prison, 78 miles north of Rangoon. Before the transfer,
he was beaten by the guards. In the past, his parents
were able to provide medicine for their son, but this
has now been banned.


MIN KO NANING

Min Ko Naning was the elected chairman of the ABFSU in
1988. He is now held in solitary confinement in Insein
Prison. His health and his memory are not good, and the
treatment he receives from the doctors is poor. There
is no proper sunlight in his cell, and he is only
allowed outside his cell 30 minutes a day.

In July 1996, he contracted dysentery. He called the
doctor at 10:00 a.m., but the doctor did not arrive
until 4:00 p.m. Min Ko Naning asked that someone be
with him 24 hours a day. The doctor agreed, but this
arrangement was never implemented. In addition, he was
only given medicine for his condition once. He was told
that there was no more medicine. According to the
reliable source
inside Burma the SLORC wants Min Ko Naing to die in the
prison.


Dr. AYE CHANG

Dr. Aye Chang, a history professor, shares a cell with
Zaw Zaw Aung.


MAUNG KHIN SWE

Maung Khin Swe was transferred from Insein prison in
November 1991 to Thayad prison meant for criminals.
Recently he was stoned by the criminal inmates and
killed.


ZARNI A.K.A MAUNG MAUNG NYUNT

During the transfer of students from Insein prison in
November 1991, he became totally paralyzed and remains
in this condition.



Note:     We received this information from one tourist
          who collected it during a recent trip to
          Burma.


Information Dept.
ABSL HQS.
New Delhi.


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