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BWU's statement on sentence of Daw



"Statement of the BWU on the long-term sentence of Daw San San"

The Burmese Women Union (BWU) strongly condemns the long sentence of Daw San
San, a 58 year-old woman MP of the National League for Democracy who was
sentenced to 25 years imprisonment earlier this month. BWU also demands the
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to release her immediately.

Daw San San was arrested on October 28, 1997 for conducting an interview
with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on June 26, 1997. She was
critical of the military regime when she talked about the National
Convention and political dialogue between the NLD and the SLORC during her
interview.

Daw San San is an NLD member and is the elected MP from Seikkan township,
Rangoon Division.  She was first arrested in November 1990 and was sentenced
to 20 years imprisonment under Penal Code Section 122, for 'high treason'.
She was, however, released on May 1, 1992 during an amnesty.  During her
first detention, the military regime dismissed her as a Member of Parliament
and banned her from contesting any future elections.  The regime arrested
and detained Daw San San under Section 10(a) of the 1975 State Protection
Act in November 1997, but in April this year she was charged under the 1923
Official Secrets Act. Daw San San was sentenced to seven years imprisonment
for being accused of distributing false information domestically and
internationally, but the term was increased to 25 years when she refused to
pledge to refrain from political activities. No one has been allowed to see
her since her sentencing.

The long sentence given to Daw San San is an example of the repression that
the NLD (the election-winning party) faces.  There is no freedom of speech
in Burma.  For merely speaking her mind, Daw San San has been arrested and
put behind bars for 25 years.   

The BWU is strongly concerned about Daw San San's condition in prison, where
many abuses against women prisoners take place and health problems are
common.  Female prisoners in Burma are usually mistreated and their health
problems are ignored. Hundreds of women have been arrested and sentenced to
long terms in jail in Burma's notorious prisons since the military staged a
coup in 1988. 
 
The BWU requests the international community to condemn the harsh sentence
given to Daw San San and to help bring about the immediate release of Daw
San San as well as other female political prisoners in Burma. 


Central Executive Committee
Burmese Women Union
Date: April 23, 1998
Burmese Women Union (BWU)
P.O Box 52
58000, Mae Hong Son
Thailand.
Tel:053-611196, Tel/fax:053-611196.