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The Times (UK) -Hopes rise for Burm



Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: The Times (UK) -Hopes rise for Burma protest woman

The Times (U.K)
September 14 1999  FAR EAST

Hopes rise for Burma protest woman

BY TIM JONES AND DAVID BRUNNSTROM
THE parents of Rachel Goldwyn, 28, the graduate arrested in Burma last week
for singing protest songs and distributing human rights literature were
yesterday hoping she would be expelled.
Yesterday a British consular official was allowed for the first time since
her arrest last Tuesday to see Miss Goldwyn in the Insein jail near Yangon.
He told her parents that their daughter was being relatively well treated in
spite of an arduous interrogation.

Speaking from her home in Barnes, southwest London, Charmian Goldwyn said:
"We are cautiously optimistic she may be allowed out of the country without
being charged.

"She is being held in a single cell and although she was interrogated for 12
hours, they did not hit her, although they raised their hands to her."

Dr Goldwyn said she knew that her daughter, who had visited Burma without
her knowledge, was in good spirits because she had passed on to the official
a family joke.

"She is being held in a cell which has a mattress and a bucket and she has
managed to befriend some cats. They took away her books which she has asked
for as she is trying to learn the language."

Before entering Burma Miss Goldwyn told her parents in a letter that she
knew they would have tried to prevent her if she had told them. She
predicted that she would eventually be deported to Bangkok. Her mother said:
"I hope she is right. When she returns, if ever she says she is going back
we will nail her to the floor."

In a related development British officials have been told that they will be
allowed to see James Mawdsley, 26, from Lancashire, who has been sentenced
to 17 years for illegally entering the country to protest against human
rights abuses.