Burmese Students Still Under Detent

[tacdb@xxxxxxxxxx]

BURMESE STUDENTS STILL UNDER DETENTION IN THAI PRISONS

SPECIAL DETENTION CENTRE (SDC)

As of October 1997, eight Burmese exiles, former students, are still being
arbitarily detained in Bangkok's 'Special Prison', also referred to as the
Special Detention Centre (SDC). All of the former student activists from
Burma have already completed the term of detention required by the laws
under which they were initially detained. None of the students are likely to
be released soon, unless amnesties are granted by HRH The Queen of Thailand
at sometime in the near future. There is an additional question of where
some of them will go if released. This question has been raised by the
Burmese Students Area Camp Commander in Ratchaburi refusing to accept some
students back into the camp. Action should be taken as a matter of urgency
to ensure their release and safety. UNHCR, the Thai Ministry of Interior and
the Thai Ministry of Justice should be lobbied. A list of contacts follows
at the ned of this message.

LIST OF DETAINEES
1. THANT ZIN HTUN 
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 6229.
Date of detention: 26/11/96 until the present.
Reason for detention: No camp pass.

Thant Zin Htun was arrested during Bill Clinton's visit to Thailand in 1996.
A group of studnets staged a demonstartion and tried to hand an open letter
to Mr. Clinton. He has been incarcerated since this time. He applied for
resettlement to Australia and was granted an interview but could not attend
as he was in SDC at the time. Authorities for not permit Burmese to be
interviewed for protection (UNHCR) or for resettlment whilst under detention
here. Someone wants to sponsor them- cannot resettle unless in Safe ARea. 

2. TAY AZA THURA 
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 1235.
Date of detention: 26/11/96 until the present.
Reason for detention: No camp pass.

3. AUNG ZAW  
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 5850.
Date of detention: 26/11/96 until the present.
Reason for detention: No camp pass.

4. SHWE OO  
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 1372.
Date of detention: 26/11/96 until the present.
Reason for detention: No camp pass.

All of these students were arrested at the same time. Same reasons for
arrest and detention give on their records. They had applied to the Canadian
embassy for resettlement, but heard nothing more since the commencement of
their detention. 

5. SHWE HLA 
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 1359.
Date of detention: 12/5/97 until the present.
Reason for detention: Violation of camp rules.

Shwe Hla was arrested May 12, sent to IDC, transferred to SDC on the 16th
June 97. He was detained in April of 97 after being arrested outside of the
Malyasian embassy in Bangkok for peacefully demonstrating against asean's
acceptance of Burma. Three other Burmese exiles were arrested with him- one
had an offical outpass from the safe area so the authorities just gave him a
talking to and sent him back to the camp. All of his priviledges were
suspended as a result, in keeping with the provincial rules governing the
safe area. The other two, Nyein Moe and Ye Chan (UNHCR recognised), were
deported to Mae Sot after one months incarceration. This action by the Thai
authorities put their lives as Burmese dissidents, in grave danger. They are
again in Bangkok and continue to demonstrate. 

Shwe Hla has just recently been released from Bangkok's Central Police
Hospital where he suffered from severe asmthma and respiratory problems. He,
reportedly, is fully recovered, but is a long term sufferer of asthma so
some concern remains over his health and well-being.

6. WIN MYINT
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 2093.
Date of detention: 27/6/94 until the present.
Reason for detention: Violating camp rules.

He has been detained for almost three years. He was arrested in the safe
area for fighting with other Burmese. It is widely understood in the camp
that Win Myint suffers from some psychological impairment and that he needs
medical attention for as he sometimes hurts himself. He apparently sleeps
mosts of the time, but then gets aggressive off an on. Burmese in the camp
understand his condition and are concerned for his well-being. He is not
receiving any medical attention in SDC (well- no proper medication etc- I
think they give out paracetamol on a routine basis to placate medical NGO's
etc. The Prison authorities want to release him and return him to the Safe
area but the Camp Commander has said that he will not accept him back.
Actually, the camp commander is not fully empowered to make such decsisions
and there is nothing that I can see in the provincial rules governing the
safe area that restrict this guy from entering the safe area.

7. SHAR SAN OO 
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 4274.
Date of detention: no date of arrest given on documents, entered SDC 9/2/95.
Reason for detention: No camp pass.

(SHAR) has been detained almost two years. His case is a strange one. He was
asked in the camp if he had left illegally (without pass) to Bangkok. He
admitted to this being so and he was arrested and sent to the SDC in Bangkok
directly from the Safe Area, WITHOUT being to court. 

8. SAW JOSEPH
UNHCR Non Indo-Chinese number 2068.
Date of detention: 2/96 until the present.
Reason for detention: Violation of camp rules.

Please note that all of the above students have NI numbers and are
considered persons of concern by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR). All are residents of the Burmese Students Area (Safe Area)
in Ratchaburi Province. Safe Area regulations provide for imprisonment of
former students for between 3 and 6 months period- not longer than this. The
Thai authorities actually have no right to detain them any longer. They
should release them as a matter of urgency and permitted to return to the
Safe Area and resume making applications and arrangement for resettlement to
a safe third country.

CONTACTS:
Please send your message of concern via e-mail to:
<govspkmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Send urgent faxes to:
His Excellency Chuan Leekpai
Prime Minister of Thailand 
Fax +662-2801443
Fax +662-2812536
Fax +662-2825131

Or contact your nearest Thai Embassy and convey the same message.

Please urge the UNHCR, which is mandated to protect those fleeing 
their homeland with well-justified fears for their safety, to do their duty 
by ensuring the well-being of Burmese asylum seekers in Thailand:

Write: 
Protection Officer
Legal Section
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
United Nations Bldg. 3 fl., Rajadamnern Rd.
Bangkok, Thailand 10200
Tel:  +662- 288-1234
Fax: +662- 280-0555

Again, Urgent Faxes and letters  may be sent to;

Justice Minstry
Rachadamnern Nai Road
Pranakorn
Bangkok, Thailand 10200
fax: (+662) 221 3161

Chief Justice
Judicial Building
Rajchadapisek Road
Jatujak, Bangkok 10900
fax: (+662) 541 2303

Chief of Prisons
Nanthaburi Road
Nonthaburi 11000
Thailand.

The Chairperson
Human Rights Committee
Parliament of Thailand
fax: (+662) 244 1625 and 244 1626

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Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB)
328 Phayathai Road
Rajthevee
Bangkok 10400
THAILAND
tel/fax: (+662) 216 4463
email: tacdb@xxxxxxxxxx
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