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WHY RACHEL GOLDWYN WAS RELEASED (r)



WHY RACHEL GOLDWYN WAS RELEASED

Like the rest of the pro-democracy movement, we are extremely relieved that
Rachel Goldwyn has been released and is able to enjoy a holiday with her
parents in Burma.

Ms Goldwyn should not have been arrested or detained in the first place.
Like thousands of Burma's political prisoners including fellow Briton James
Mawsdley, Ms Goldwyn was unlawfully arrested, detained and sentenced.

It is well known in Rangoon and London that the military junta had not even
adhered to its own 'laws' in handling Ms Goldwyn's case. An appeal would
have exposed the gross incompetence of the regime. It would have also
proved what most people (in and outside Burma) already know - the regime
has not the faintest respect for or understanding of the rule of law.

The regime also needed a 'good news story' to redeem itself during the
current session of the UN General Assembly where it was condemned for
massive human rights violations including "murder, rape and forced labour
amounting to slavery". The UNGA report states that even children are used
as forced labour by the regime.

Let's not forget that despite the good news of Ms Goldwyn's release,
thousands of people continue to be unlawfully and unjustly detained by the
regime in Burma, tens of thousands are routinely subjected to military
attack, hundreds of thousands are forced out of their homes and off their
land. Let's not forget that the regime treats its fellow citizens with
brutality and contempt.

Despite the fact that Ms Goldwyn does not appear to have been subjected to
physical torture during her unlawful detention, she was subjected to
intense mental and emotional pressure to the point of being forced to
'confess' details of her 'involvement with subversive elements'. 

Despite the fact that the Goldwyn family is apparently holidaying in Burma
under the considerate supervision of Col. Hla Min so that they do not
witness any human rights violations, these systematic and brutal violations
continue to take place everyday. 

The junta has to realize that releasing a lone political prisoner is not
going to make the world forget the millions of people it holds hostage in
Burma. The only solution is to release all political prisoners, cease
persecution of ethnic and religious minorities, recognize the will of the
people as expressed in the 1990 elections and commence dialogue with the
democracy movement and ethnic nationality groups.

Debbie Stothard
Coordinator


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A L T S E A N - B U R M A
Alternative Asean Network on Burma
Tel: 66 2 275 1811 * Fax: 66 2 693 4515
<altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>