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AI:Myanmar: Conditions in Prisons a



Subject: AI:Myanmar: Conditions in Prisons and Labour Camps

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Al Index: ASA 16122195  
Amnesty International 
SEPTEMBER 1995

MYANMAR
CONDITIONS IN PRISONS AND LABOUR CAMPS

INTRODUCTION

Amnesty International has recently received new information about
appalling conditions in labour camps and prisons in Myanmar. 
Unofficial sources have provided details about the treatment of
prisoners, including torture, prolonged shackling, lack of proper
medical care, and insufficient food.  Torture techniques include
beatings, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness; being forced to
crawl over sharp stones; and being held in the hot sun for prolonged
periods.  Such practices are used by Myanmar's security forces to
punish and intimidate prisoners.  Conditions in labour camps are so
harsh that hundreds of prisoners have died as a result.  Many
prisoners who have been forced to work as porters for the army have
also died as a result of ill-treatment.

In the material which follows, Amnesty International has omitted
details which could identify imprisoned individuals, for fear of
placing them at even greater risk of torture and ill-treatment.  Most of
the information below concerns Insein Prison, Myanmar's largest
detention facility, where at least 800 political prisoners are held along
with thousands of people imprisoned under criminal charges.  Insein
Prison is located in the outskirts of Yangon (Rangoon, the capital). 
Thousands of other political prisoners are held in prisons throughout
the country; however it is much more difficult to obtain information
about conditions in these facilities.

PRISON CONDITIONS

Political prisoners are evidently subjected to torture during both the
initial interrogation period and after they have been sentenced.  Once
imprisoned, they can be summoned at any time during the day or
night by Military Intelligence (MI) personnel, who maintain a
permanent presence in Insein Prison.  MI wear the same uniform as
that worn by prison staff, and conduct investigations of political
prisoners on a regular basis.  They interrogate prisoners in an office
known as the "Prison Kampetei Office" (An apparent reference to
practices of the Kampetei, the Japanese military police who subjected
prisoners to torture and ill-treatment during World War II.),  place
them in leg irons, and punish them with beatings, sometimes to the
point of unconsciousness.

Political prisoners who break arbitrary and harsh prison rules are
subjected to harsh punishments, including torture and severe ill -
treatment.  Even the possession of almost any reading material is a
punishable offence under prison rules.  Political prisoners are liable to
be sent to "police dog cells", where police dogs are normally kept, or
to other cells where  they are subjected to beatings and placed in leg -
irons made of chains or of an iron rod between the feet.  One political
prisoner was reportedly punished by the imposition of leg irons for
one week because he cooked some curry.  Another prisoner was kept
in shackles in the "police dog cells" for two months because he was
found with a piece of paper.  Other punishments include being kept in
the sun in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees
Centigrade) and being forced to crawl on the ground over sharp
stones.

Male prisoners are also subjected to humiliating practices such as
being forced to answer questions using a self-deprecating form of
address.  If they do not answer in such a manner they are beaten. 
These practices occur in Block 5, which was opened recently, and is
now commonly referred to as the "Women's Block", because of the
form of address prisoners are forced to use.  Some prisoners are
denied visiting rights from relatives as another form of punishment.

Prisoners in Myanmar are also subjected to severe overcrowding,
conditions which constitute cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. 
Three to four prisoners are held in small cells measuring 8 by 12 feet
(2.6 by 3 metres) for more than 20 hours a day.  They are fed on an
inadequate diet of a thin soup of pulses or vegetables, supplemented
with a small piece of fish only once a week.  Medical treatment is
only provided when an illness has reached a severe stage.  Political
prisoners are not allowed to communicate with one another and are
often held in solitary confinement.  MI officials transfer political
prisoners at will to remote prisons where their families cannot visit
and provide them with additional food and medicine.

Political prisoners are generally only allowed to meet with their
families after they have been sentenced, and then only for 15 minutes
every two weeks; before that time they are held in incommunicado
detention.  Guards are present throughout the family meetings, and
often take notes.  Although families can bring food and medicines to
their relatives, such supplies are sometimes confiscated by prison
authorities.  Political prisoners are also forbidden most reading and all
writing materials, and are not allowed to send or receive letters. 
Religious tracts which have received prior approval are sometimes
allowed.

Amnesty International is aware that torture and ill - treatment occurs
in other prisons.  One recently - released Mon farmer who had been
arrested for alleged connections with the New Mon State Party
(NMSP) was held with many other political prisoners in one
overcrowded room.  He told Amnesty International:

"I was not allowed to see my family while in prison.  If the family
sent food, the prison warder would take it all ... All prisoners were
taken to work on the road ...  At the prison I was forced to dig an
underground pit for body discharges. "

He was held in Mawlamylne (Moulmein) prison while serving a three
year sentence handed down by a military tribunal.  Before his trial in
1991, he said that he had been severely tortured.

DEATHS IN CUSTODY OF POLITICAL PRISONERS

Since September 1988 Amnesty International has recorded the deaths
of 15 political prisoners in custody, many of whom died from disease
after inadequate medical attention.  Recently the organization has
learned of the deaths of two more political prisoners.  U Dhamma
Wara Seit - Dhi, a 51 - year-old monk from Mandalay, reportedly
died from malnutrition and malaria on 18 November 1994.  He had
been arrested for his participation in the 1988 - 89 pro - democracy
movement and sentenced to five years' hard labour in the Kachin
State.  Hundreds of monks were arrested for their role in protest
demonstrations and scores are believed to be still detained.  After
working on a road in a malarial area, U Dhamma Wara Seit - Shi
died after repeated attacks of malaria.

U Kin Sein, in his 50's, died in Insein Prison in early 1995 of an
unknown disease.  He was reportedly arrested in December 1990 and
sentenced to seven years' imprisonment under Section 5j of the
Emergency Provisions Act.  A member of the Prome township
People's Progressive Party, he was also a businessman.  Amnesty
International is concerned at recurrent reports of deaths in custody in
Myanmar's prisons, and calls on the SLORC to ensure that prisoners
receive proper medical care and food.

LABOUR CAMPS AND FORCED PORTERING

The SLORC has publicly acknowledged the fact that those convicted
of criminal offences participate in labour projects.  However the
military authorities characterize such work as voluntary.  A 13 July
Myanmar Television broadcast reported a 7 July speech given by
Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt:

"The SLORC has reduced by one third the sentences of those
convicted persons who have contributed volunteer labour at the
various state development project sites ... Lieutenant General Khin
Nyunt notified that altogether 38,753 convicted persons have been
released during the SLORC's tenure of government.  This shows the
national government's flexibility and humanity ...

While Amnesty International recognizes that there are prisoners who
volunteer for work projects in order to reduce their sentences, it
remains concerned at current reports of thousands of  common
criminals who have been forced to work under extremely harsh
conditions.  Such prisoners are subjected to even worse treatment than
political prisoners.

They are taken to labour camps established to construct infrastructure
projects such as road building, often shortly after they have been
imprisoned.  Apparently prisoners can avoid going to such camps, or
can be sent to camps which are less harsh if they can pay a large bribe
to prison officials.  Such bribes range from 5,000 kyats to 30,000
kyats.  (Six kyats, Myanmar's official currency, is equivalent to about
one US dollar; however unofficial rates are over 100 kyats to the US
dollar.)   Most  prisoners are unable to pay such bribes, and are then
sent to labour camps.

Forced labour frequently entails prisoners breaking rocks for road
building for long hours.  Prisoners are subjected to beatings and do
not receive adequate food or sleep.  Many of them are injured or
killed when rocks are blasted with dynamite.  Female prisoners are
also forced to undertake labour projects in special all-women camps
which have been designated by the authorities.  Elderly and sick
people and even handicapped people are placed in leg irons and
forced to work.  Health problems, such as malnutrition, dysentery,
and malaria are common.  Hundreds of prisoners have reportedly died
as a result of disease and ill - treatment.  Conditions on the Yangon to
Mandalay road are so severe that prisoners working there have a
saying:

"If the corpses of prisoners who lost their lives working on the
Yangon to Mandalay express highway are lined up it would be longer
than the mileage of the road already completed."

Reprisals are swift for those prisoners who attempt to escape from the
camps, and have included extrajudicial killings.  At the end of 1994
two prisoners who tried to flee from the Yangon to Mandalay Road
construction, also known as "the Road of No Return", were reportedly
shot and killed at close range.  One other was hacked to death with a
hoe and the remaining seven in the group were severely injured.

Amnesty International has obtained information about nine labour
camps throughout Myanmar, including details of the number of
reported deaths.  About 500 prisoners work in each camp.  Reports
providing details of such information are summarized below:

LOCATION          NUMBER OF              OTHER INFORMATION
                  REPORTED 
                  DEATHS
                  OF PRISONERS

Kabaw Valley,     reported 300 died      opened February 1992
Western           from first group of
Myanmar           500 -, reported 200 
                  died from second group


Ywtingan -        400 prisoners          opened September 1992;
Hanmyinmo         reportedly             combined stone quarry and
Road,             died within one        road construction
Sagaing           month          
Division

Taungzuri/        a reported 30% of
Mopalin           prisoners have died
Quarry,
Mon State

Pinlaung -        400 prisoners died     road construction
Pyinmanain        four months in         camps
Road, Shan        Shwenyaung -
State -           Namsan camp
Central Myanmar  
Aungban - Loikaw  
Road, Shan
Kayah (Karenni)
State
Shwenvaung -
Namsan Road, 
Shan State

Myitkyina -       not known              extremely harsh
Sumprabom                                conditions
Road                                     and bad weather
Myitkyina - 
Shibwe
Lawkhaung Road
(all Kachin 
State)

Yangon - 
Mandalay          not known              widespread malaria 
Highway 
construction

Yezin - Htonbo    not known              only female prisoners
Quarry,                                  work there
south of Mandalay

Myelk - 
Kawthaung         many reported          not known
Road              deaths due 
Kawthaung         to disease
Airport   
Extension, 
Tanintharyi
(Tenasserim) 
Division

Tuntay 
(Shwethahtay)      not known             near Yangon; reportedly
Camp                                     best conditions
Tuntay Piggery
Phaunggyi 
Piggery, all
near Yangon


Some of those who have been injured in labour camps are brought
back to Insein Jail hospital.  They suffer from broken legs, hands and
backs, malnutrition, malaria, and communicable diseases which they
have contracted because of the extremely harsh conditions under
which they are held.  However those prisoners who are returned to
Insein Prison are the lucky ones -- an unknown number of other
prisoners have died during their forced labour and porter duties.  The
death rate in labour camps is in the hundreds.  Apparently many of
these prisoners are homeless young people who are arrested for
vagrancy and imprisoned for one year.

Convicted criminals are also forced to act as porters during military
operations by the tatmadaw, the Myanmar army, in counter -
insurgency activities against armed ethnic minority groups.  The
practice of seizing civilians for porter duty by the tatmadaw is
routine, and ill - treatment is common.  Members of ethnic minorities
are most frequently taken because they are living in areas of armed
insurgency.  However civilians from all over Myanmar, including
criminal prisoners, are also seized and moved to such areas to act as
porters.  Porters are often deprived of food, receive no medical
attention, and are beaten if they cannot carry their load of ammunition
or food any longer.  Some are left to die by the side of the road. 
Amnesty International opposes the practice of forced portering in all
cases, whether civilians are ill-treated or not.
CONCLUSION

Torture has been routine in Myanmar's prisons for many years, and
has increased dramatically since the imprisonment of thousands of
political prisoners beginning in 1988.  Amnesty International opposes
the torture and ill - treatment of prisoners in all cases.  Such practices
are in direct contravention of international standards, including the
Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Being Subjected to
Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment.  Ill-treatment and inhumane prison conditions are also in
contravention of The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners, adopted by the First UN Congress on the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held in Geneva, Switzerland,
in 1955.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Amnesty International urges the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC, Myanmar's military Government) to take the
following steps to ensure that the practice of torture and ill-treatment
of prisoners is eliminated:

1.  Initiate an immediate investigation into all prison practices and
procedures at Insein Prison and all other detention facilities.

2.   Bring those found responsible for torture and ill - treatment to
justice.

3.   Ensure that prison conditions and practices are brought into
conformity with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners, including the prohibition of beatings, and the provision
of adequate food and medical care.

4.   Allow proper access to all political prisoners by the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), including permission to conduct
private interviews and follow - up visits.

5.   Ensure that all prison labour is not punitive in nature and abolish
the practice of forced pottering of all civilians.

6.  Allow independent human rights monitors to visit Myanmar's
prisons and meet privately with political prisoners.




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