NLD Statement 53 in English (r)

[hag2@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Let me tell the story about Burma's prisons.  In 1980-81 the whole Thayet
town's population suffered with the Skin disease, which was transmitted
from the Thayet prison.  If you look at the Burmese newspaper you will find
it.  The main problem stems from living conditions.
1.  Foods are not nutritious.  The prisoner's officer (Tan See) or the
warden steel  half of the beans so there is watery soup .  Once a week,
prisoners have meat meal but half is taken from their portion.
2.  People are jammed in the prison cells and wards.  For eighty person's
wards are fulled with three hundred prisoners. Solidary confirnment cells
are designed only for one person but it is filled with two to seven person.
3.  There is no rest room for the prisoners; they have to discharge on top
of the big bowl (Sint Oo) like a beer tank by standing position in the
wards.  In the cells that is different the discharge bowl is called
Ganphala, prisoners have to squard on that bowl with unconvinence position.
Many suffered hammoride.
4.  Prisoners are not allowed to take a shower every day, sometimes once a
week or bi- weekly.  There is no soap to clean their clothes.  Water pump
is broken most of the time.  If they have chance to shower, they are
allowed to take not more than 7 to 10 cups of water.
5.  Sick prisoners are only allowed to see the medic if they are in very
bad condition but the medic is not a trained one.   He learned from the
hospital by testing the prisoners.  One bottle of penicillin was mixed with
four bottles of distilled water and injected into four patients without
changing the needle.  It was meant for one penicillin bottle to be used for
each patient but the rest were taken and sold on the out side market by the
medic.
6.  In the colonial times, prison cells had wooden floors or wooden beds
for the prisoners.  Now all the floors have cemented.  As a result, many
prisoners suffer with lung disease and pneumonia.  Some get Asthma.
7.  Prisoners are treated like animals not like human beings.  It is like a
living hell.

All these facts are true.  This is not a fiction.

The law only exist in the book, under military rule.


Htun Aung Gyaw


At 04:02 PM 3/31/99 +0900, Ken and Visakha Kawasaki wrote:
>National League for Democracy
>NO (97/B), West Shwegondine Road
>Bahan, Rangoon
>
>Statement No: 53 (3/99)
>
>1.	Living conditions for political prisoners in Thayet prison in Magwe 
>Division are outrageous.
>
>2.	Information given to us is that the total number of political 
>prisoners is 74 and even though the term of imprisonment is over for 
>some, they have not been released because Military Intelligence Unit 11 
>has not given its consent to their release.
>
>3.	Three persons are placed in each of the cells measuring 12' x 8' 
>where they sleep, eat , and defecate. These conditions are most inhuman 
>and a danger to health of the prisoners which has resulted in sickness 
>and death for some.
>
>4.	These conditions are in violation of Article 5 of the Universal 
>Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates that " No one shall be 
>subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or 
>punishment ". In addition, these conditions violate the provisions of 
>Section 7 of the Prisons Act which stipulates that  " When conditions in 
>prisons are likely to have harmful effects on the health of the 
>prisoners, new temporary structures should be constructed to ensure the 
>safety and convenience of the prisoners". Furthermore, Section 13 of the 
>Prisons Act which provides that the prison doctor is responsible for the 
>health and cleanliness of the prison is being violated. The provisions 
>of law in Chapter 8 under the heading  "Health of Prisoners" are not 
>observed neither are some of the provisions of Chapter 8 of the Prisons 
>Manual adhered to.
>
>	5. The present inhuman and negligent treatment of political prisoners 
>is deplorable. We urge the respective authorities to take necessary 
>steps and direct corrective measures in the matter.
>
>
>Central Executive Committee
>National League for Democracy
>
>Rangoon
>25 March 1999
>
>
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