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NLD Statement 99 in English
National League for Democracy
No: (97/B), West Shwegondine
Bahan Township, Rangoon
Statement 99 (11/98)
Letter dated 4 November 1998 from the Chairman of the National League
for Democracy to the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
regarding the arrest and imprisonment of the NLD People's Parliament
representatives, members of organising committees form every branch and
ordinary members is herewith reproduced for information.
(f) " 1. "Sovereignty resides in the people" is the principle of
democracy. The people exercised that sovereign power in the 1990 May
multiparty democratic elections in casting their votes for
representatives of their choice to whom state power must be transferred
so that they may use that sovereign power to govern for the good of the
people. These are the persons who must act for the benefit of the people
when a People's Parliament is convened.
2. These people's representatives are today held under arrest and in
custody by the military intelligence units. The NLD has not been
informed what provision of law has been contravened for the said
arrests. Political activities or participation in national politics out
of personal conviction and personal choice does not contravene any
provision of law.
3. Our Statement 94(10/98) dated 29-10-98 and 78 (9/98) regarding the
illegal arrests and imprisonment of NLD parliamentarians -elect and the
dirty and derogatory manner in which the military intelligence service
has acted, have been forwarded to you for your information.
4. Not only the NLD parliamentarians-elect, but members from every
level of organising committees and other ordinary members too have been
illegally arrested and imprisoned for no justifiable reason whatsoever.
It is the entire responsibility of the arresting party to provide for
the food, health and safety of the persons they are holding in their
custody.
5. Failure and neglect to provide for the daily requirements of NLD
members who are being so held has resulted in the premature death on 21
October 1998 of U Aung Min, a member of the organising committee of
Mandalay Division, North East Township. He was arrested on 6 September
1998 by a military intelligence unit and imprisoned at the 119 Army
Battalion. Our Statement 96(10/98) relating to his death is attached
herewith for your information.
6. Our information is that the arresting authorities in Mandalay who
are holding members of the NLD in their custody are not providing proper
food for them. Their daily fare consists of fried rabbit greens,
aubergines and lentils poorly cooked without oil and salt. Our
information is that the food is of the poorest quality. Therefore it can
be said that U Aung Min died of under-nourishment.
7. In addition, our information is that the following NLD
parliamentarians-elect are being fed with a very poor diet consisting
only of vegetables.
Magwe Division
U Hlaing Win .................. No 2 constituency, Pakokku township
Dr. Kyi Min .................... No 1 " " "
"
Pegu Division
U Tha Maung ..................... No 2 constituency, Okpho township
U Tin Oo .............................. No 1 " " "
"
U San Tin .......................... Zigon township
Irrawaddy Division
U Hla Kyi ............................ Bassein East township No 2
constituency
U Tin Chaw ...................... Bassein West township No 1 "
"
We have no information about how others are being treated but we have
reason to believe that they will be getting the same inferior treatment.
8. Other information we have received is that some of the NLD
parliamentarians-elect, organising committee member from the States,
Divisions, Townships, Wards and villages and ordinary members who have
been illegally arrested for commission of no offence have been
incarcerated in the Insein jail purely out of spite. This is entirely
inappropriate and should never be resorted to. This is totally
denounced.
9. The military intelligence units which are holding in captivity NLD
parliamentarians-elect, members of the all organising committee, and all
ordinary members without justifiable cause and in violation of the laws
in force are wholly responsible for their captives. If they cannot
fulfil their responsibilities to the persons they are holding they
should release them immediately and unconditionally. Should their lives
be endangered the authorities will be held totally answerable " (END)
Information to hand is that persons incarcerated in the jail (set out in
para 8 above) are being given the poorest of food. This should never be
done. If they cannot be given a proper diet, these noble patriots and
members of the NLD who are fulfilling their duties to the people should
be immediately and unconditionally released. The National League for
Democracy strongly condemns the Military Intelligence units for their
actions.
Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy
5 November 1998
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