ST-Burmese prisoners 'let down'

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Sunday Times-UK
November 10 1999  BRITAIN

Burmese prisoners 'let down'
BY LINUS GREGORIADIS

THE father of a British human rights campaigner serving a 17-year jail
sentence in Burma yesterday criticised Rachel Goldwyn for cooperating with
the regime.
Ms Goldwyn, who served less than two months of a seven-year sentence for
singing a pro-democracy song in Rangoon, arrived back in Britain on Monday
but refused to condemn Burma's oppressive regime.

David Mawdsley, whose son, David, was arrested in Burma for the third time
in August for illegally entering the country and distributing pro-democracy
leaflets, described her plan to co-operate with the Burmese authorities as
"monstrous" and said she had "let down" hundreds of political prisoners.

Ms Goldwyn 28, said she had been offered a "dialogue-based role" in Burma
researching the regime's counter-narcotics operations on the the Chinese
border.

"I feel very strongly that she has let them [the political prisoners] down,"
Mr Mawdsley said. "She and her parents have been manipulated by the military
junta." He was disappointed that she had not spoken out even though she had
not had a fair trial.