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AI press release item on Burma



>From:	CCPNGW::"owner-amnesty-l@xxxxxxxxxxx" 11-JUL-1996 10:03:35.32
To:	<boilley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
CC:	
Subj:	 

This News Service is posted by the
International Secretariat of Amnesty International,
1 Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ
(Tel +44-71-413-5500, Fax +44-71-956-1157)
Sender: Amnesty_International@xxxxxxxxxxx
Precedence: bulk
AMNESTY-L:
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MYANMAR: ONE YEAR AFTER AUNG SAN SUU KYI~S RELEASE --
REPRESSION INCREASES

On the first anniversary of the release of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi on 10 July 1995, Amnesty International today condemned
the Myanmar government for dramatically heightening
repression in recent months, and its lack of progress towards
improving human rights over the past year.

      ~The release of Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi raised real hopes
of an improvement in Myanmar,~ Amnesty International said.
~Unfortunately, the events over the past year have dashed any
optimism that the government intended anything other than a
cosmetic exercise to gain some international favour.~

      ~In reality, the recent arrests of hundreds of members
of the National League for Democracy indicate that the
government is willing to take any measures it sees fit to
intimidate and threaten an opposition party which won more
than 80% of the seats in the 1990 general election.~

      At least 1,000 political prisoners remain behind bars,
forced labour and portering continues throughout the country,
torture and ill-treatment is commonplace, and the government
is continuing its campaign of fear and intimidation against
opposition supporters, the human rights organization said. 

      When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was released, the State Law
and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) stated that she was
released unconditionally. However, since then she and other
National League for Democracy (NLD) members have been subject
to restriction of movement and intense surveillance.

      In June 1996, SLORC threatened to ban the NLD
completely, and then arrest its members for belonging to an
~illegal association~. This threat was backed up by the
sinister statement that those arrested would be detained in
Insein Prison -- where Amnesty International has documented
dozens of cases of torture, ill-treatment and deaths. On 7
June SLORC issued law 5/96 -- under which anyone who
expresses their political views publicly can receive a 20-
year prison sentence. 

      ~This draconian measure effectively outlaws free speech
in Myanmar and it should be repealed immediately,~ Amnesty
International said. ~However, it is just the latest threat in
an increasing pattern of intimidation since Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi~s release.~

~     In March 1996, U Pa Pa Lay and U Lu Zaw, two members
      of a comedy troupe, were given seven year jail
      sentences after an independence day performance which
      included dances, songs and jokes satirizing the
      authorities. Their trial was conducted inside Mandalay
      prison and they were denied any legal representation.
      Both were sent to labour
      camps and forced to work long hours breaking rocks
      whilst shackled with iron bars across their legs.
~     In March 1996, Sein Hla Aung and Zaw Zaw Myaing were
      sentenced to three and two years in prison respectively
      for distributing videotapes of Aung San Suu Kyi~s
      speeches -- Amnesty International considers both to be
      prisoners of conscience.  At about the same time local
      officials reportedly began arresting people for
      watching the videos in private homes.

~     Later the same month, NLD member U Saw Hlaing was
      arrested on 15 March after the car he was driving hit a
      trishaw in Bago Division, hurting three of its
occupants.
      Neither his family nor lawyers were allowed to provide
      him with legal assistance or accompany him to court,
      where he was subsequently sentenced to five years~
      imprisonment for ~grievous bodily harm~. According to
      the NLD, the police forced the three people in the
      trishaw to remain in hospital for 22 days, even though
      one of them had only dislocated a thumb and the other
      one had received two stiches on the chin. Under Myanmar
      law in order for an injury to be considered ~grievous
      bodily harm~ the individual concerned must have
      remained in the hospital for at least 21 days.

~     In May 1996, the authorities arrested more than 300 NLD
      members following an announcement by the party that it
      would hold a weekend meeting to commemorate the sixth
      anniversary of their election victory. Despite the
      release of most of the detainees, Amnesty International
      is concerned that about 31 are still in prison. Among
      those arrested were Daw Aung San Suu Kyi~s bodyguard --
      Maung San Hlaing.

While incarcerated, political prisoners suffer conditions
which fall far short of international minimum standards, with
lack of access to proper medical treatment, overcrowding, and
insufficient food all commonplace. Political prisoners are
subjected to ill-treatment both during interrogation and
after sentencing, Amnesty International said. 

      In November 1995 prison authorities at Insein Prison
began to subject a group of 29 political prisoners to severe
and prolonged ill-treatment as a punishment for attempting to
send a letter about prison conditions to the UN. They were
placed in tiny cells meant to house military dogs, forced to
sleep on cold concrete floors with no bedding and forbidden
any family visits. Following a report by the UN Special
Rapporteur for Myanmar about the human rights situation,
which included details about the group in Insein prison, 21
of the prisoners were given additional prison terms.

      Amnesty International is calling on the SLORC to
release all prisoners of conscience immediately and
unconditionally, ensure that political prisoners receive
prompt and fair trials, and guarantee that political
prisoners are not subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading
treatment.
The organization is also calling on governments attending the
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in
Indonesia in July to raise these human rights concerns with
the SLORC, who will be present at the meeting.



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