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11/3/98:LETTER TO MARY ROBINSON, UN



/* Written 11 Mar 11:00am 1998 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* -----------------'' 11/3/98:Letter to UNHCHR ``------------------ */

LETTER TO THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
*****************************************************
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia.

March 11, 1998.

Ms Mary Robinson
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
c/- U.N. Centre for Human Rights
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland.}

Dear High Commissioner:}

I am a Burmese national currently residing in Australia. I should like to
call the High Commissioner's attention to the human rights abuses that are
continuing to take place in Burma/Myanmar. Reports continue to be received
about more arrest on political dissidents and also of the ill-treatment of
political prisoners by the military government in Burma. Late last year,
the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar, Judge Rajsoomer
Lallah, has compiled these continuing abuses in his interim report
A/52/484 and submitted to the General Assembly in December 1997. In
connection with that report, I appeal the High Commissioner to make
appropriate measures to investigate further on these human rights abuses
and, in particular, to arrange Special Rapporteur to visit Burma without
any preconditions set by the military government of Burma. 

The Special Rapporteur, since his appointment in 1996, has not been
allowed by the military government to visit Burma. We have the knowledge
that the Special Rapporteur has made several formal requests to the
military government: On 9th and 26th of July 1996, 9 January 1997 and 4
June 1997, the Special Rapporteur has sent letters to the Burmese junta.
Because of the lack of cooperation by the Burmese military junta with the
United Nations human rights procedure, the U.N. General Assembly in last
December urges the Burmese authorities to cooperate fully with the Human
Rights Special Rapporteur. The resolution A/52/137 of 12 December 1997
states: 
\begin{quote}
        1. Expresses its appreciation to the Special Rapporteur of
        the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human
        rights in Myanmar for his interim report, and urges the
        Government of Myanmar to cooperate fully with the Special
        Rapporteur, and to ensure his access to Myanmar, without
        preconditions, in order to allow him fully to discharge his
        mandate; 
\end{quote}

I believe that it is appropriate, at this Commission on Human Rights
meeting, to arrange the Special Rapporteur to visit Burma
\underline{without any preconditions} set by the Burmese military
government. The Special Rapporteur should be allowed to investigate any
human rights abuses and be allowed to visit any part of the country of
which he considered to be appropriate. I urge the High Commissioner for
Human Rights to use every available avenue to ensure such visit has taken
place. 

In closing, I thank the High Commissioner and especially the Special
Rapporteur, Judge Rajsoomer Lallah, for your continuing efforts to improve
human rights situation in Burma. The unrelenting efforts by the United
Nations and international community to improve human rights situation in
Burma are greatly appreciated by the people of Burma. 

Yours respectfully and sincerely,}
Sd. U Ne Oo.

\underline{\bf copy to:}\\
1. Hon. Rajsoomer Lallah, Special Rapporteur for Human Rights,
c/- Centre for Human Rights, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.\\
2. Mr Alvaro de Soto, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs,
United Nations, New York NY 10017, USA.\\
3. H.E. Abdoulie Momodou Sallah(Gambia), President of the Security Council,
United Nations Headquarters, New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.\\
4. H.E. Hennadiy Udovenko(Ukraine), President of the General Assembly,
United Nations Headquarters, New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.\\
5. Hon. Madeleine K Albright, U.S. Secretary of State, Main State Building 
- Room 7226, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520-7512, USA.\\
6. H.E. Bill Richardson, US Ambassador to the U.N., 799 United Nations Plaza,
United Nations New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.\\
7. Hon. Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Parliament House,
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia for information.
\end{letter}
***************************************
Date: 10 Mar 1998 04:22:01
Subject: NLD LEADER DIES IN DETENTION
To: Recipients of burmanet-l <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Media Release
Date: March 9, 1998
                                    
           NLD LEADER DIES IN DETENTION, WHILE OTHER MEMBERS 
                         GET HARSH PRISON TERMS

U Thein Tin, a prominent member of the Rangoon Township
Organizing Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD),
died at Rangoon General Hospital on the evening of February 18,
1998, following physical and mental torture in Insein Prison,
according to sources in Rangoon.

The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) claims U Thein Tin
died of blood cancer. However, sources say U Thein Tin was
tortured and his health was deteriorating when he was finally
admitted to hospital. He was already dying when he was taken to
hospital according to the sources, and the SPDC had long refused
his requests for proper medical care. 

He was detained in Insein Special Prison since March 1996 along
with well-known leaders and literary figures such as U Moe Thu, U
Kyaw Min and U Soe Thein. U Thein Tin was charged under Section
10(a) of the State Protection Act, which is designed 'to protect
the country from the dangers of those who wish to harm the
state'.

U Thein Tin, a writer by profession, was a former student leader
during 1962-63. He came to prominence during Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi's house arrest for his unwavering commitment and management
skills. U Thein Tin was well respected by both the leadership of
the NLD and the youth wing of the party.

In another development, the SPDC in Irrewaddy Division recently
sentenced three NLD members to jail terms of four-and-half years
each with hard labor for political defiance activities. According
to a local source, Tin Aung, Wa Tote (a.k.a. Khin Maung Oo) and
Aye Win from Bassein Township NLD Organizing Committee, were
detained on February 13, 1998, for flying a peacock flag on the
school flagpole of one of the township high schools.

According to the source, the three flew the peacock flag, which
is the symbol of democracy and defiance, on the flagpole of
Bassein No.1 High School on the morning of Union Day (February
12). They were subsequently arrested and sentenced under four
different charges.      

The source says the three chose this method of defiance to
protest against military repression, human rights violations and
the restrictions placed on NLD members in Irrewaddy Division. The
military has been targeting NLD members in Irrewaddy Division
because of their strong support for the restoration of democracy
and human rights in Burma.  

[Reported by All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)]
********