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Woman held in Burma had planned pro



Subject: Woman held in Burma had planned protest 

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<font size=5>Woman held in Burma had planned protest <br>
<br>
</font><font size=3>September 9 1999 <b>BRITAIN<br>
<br>
</b>BY JOANNA BALE <br>
THE best friend of a young British woman being held in Burma for singing
a revolutionary song spoke yesterday of her fears for her safety. <br>
Hannah Goff, 28, described Rachel Goldwyn, also 28, as a dedicated
pro-democracy campaigner who now faced torture, rape and a long prison
sentence after being arrested during a demonstration in Rangoon, the
Burmese capital, on Tuesday. <br>
Ms Goff, of Barnes, southwest London, spoke of her great admiration for
her childhood friend, also from Barnes, who sang <i>We Will Never
Forget</i> and demanded civil rights for the country in front of 300
students before her arrest. However, she added: &quot;I have fears about
torture and rape. I know they treat their prisoners like animals over
there.&quot; <br>
Ms Goff, a reporter on the <i>South London Press</i>, said her friend had
discussed her plans and asked her to help. &quot;Rachel has a heart of
gold but I am just concerned that this might be her undoing.&quot; <br>
Ms Goff said it was not clear where her friend was being held.
Pro-democracy groups in Burma had been tracking her movements, but had
lost her. <br>
Ms Goldwyn had not told her parents what she planned to do, telling them
instead that she was going to Germany. Ms Goff explained: &quot;She knew
they would do everything they could to stop her.&quot; <br>
Dr Charmian Goldwyn, a GP, said she and her husband Ed, a television
producer, were desperately worried for Rachel. She said: &quot;I was
desperate when I first heard. I am very proud of her, but I also
desperately wish she hadn't done this.&quot; <br>
The news of Ms Goldwyn's detention came as David Mawdsley, the father of
James Mawdsley, the British pro-democracy campaigner who was sentenced to
17 years in a Burmese jail, said he feared his son was being tortured.
<br>
A Foreign Office spokesman said attempts were being made to get access to
Ms Goldwyn and Mr Mawdsley<br>
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