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| Date: | Thu, 26 Jan 2006 06:06:10 -0800 (PST) |
| Subject: | [myanmarburmese] Health of Political Prisoner Deteriorates in Burmese Jail |
1/26/2006
http://www.narinjara.com
Health of Political Prisoner Deteriorates in Burmese
Jail
By Aung Min (Narinjara News)
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners
(Burma), or AAPP, based in Thailand, released a
statement regarding political prisoner Ko Than Win
Hlaing, whose health condition is now deteriorating.
Ko Than Win Hlaing is now at Tharawaddy prison in Bago
Division and his health is condition is considered
very poor as he continues to be kept in the jail. He
is now suffering with kidney complications and
diabetes.
Than Win participated in the Democracy Front for
National Reconstruction (Union of Burma), and
subsequently came under the watch of the military
regime. His book, "Historical Burmese Persons Talk
through Statues", was first published in 1997. After
its second publishing in 2000, Than Win Hlaing was
arrested and detained, reported the statement.
"We demand Than Win's release and he must be released
from prison as his health condition is much worse now
than past months", said Tate Naing, secretary of the
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners
(Burma).
According to sources, his health has been affected due
to the prison authorities providing prisoners with
inadequate food.
On 2 August, 2000, Than Win was arrested by Burmese
authorities and sentenced to seven years imprisonment
under Section 17/20 of the Printer's and Publications
Act. He is currently languishing in Tharawaddy prison.
The statement said that the arrest and detention of
Than Win is politically motivated. Than Win's book
contained information about General Aung San, Burma's
independence here. Because Aung San is the father of
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Laureate and General
Secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD),
the military regime frequently seeks to diminish his
role in Burma's history - arresting and imprisoning
those who speak or write about him.
"We issued the statement today aimed at gaining the
release of Ko Than Wing Hlaing because his health is
now severely deteriorated in the jail, and the
authority does not wish to release him. He is a good
writer. We do not want to see another writer die in
prison unnecessarily and unjustly. Because the Burmese
regime incorrectly and mistakenly detained him,” Tate
Naing said.
Than Win Hlaing has been serving his unjust and
unfairly long prison terms since 2000, without any
charge or trial, the statement said.
Another political prisoner, Ko Khin Maung Lwin, 38,
passed away on 11 January 2006 at Putao hospital in
Kachin State, which is in the northpart of Burma. He
has written 400 feature articles and worked as the
editor of Myanmar Zaw Gwet See Pwar Yay Journal and
Mya Yeik Nyo Journal.
Burma has about 1127 political prisoners, eight among
them are writers.
