NLD ACCUSES MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

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Media release
September 23, 1998

                                    
        NLD ACCUSES MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE OF MISTREATING 
                             PARTY OFFICIAL

Military Intelligence Service (MIS) officers blindfolded and beat
up an NLD official according to the National League for Democracy
(NLD).

U Than Win, from Chauk township in central Burma, was arrested on
August 2, 1998 along with township NLD chairman U Kyi Toe,
secretary U Aung Than Nyunt and 8 other NLD officials. They were
arrested for distributing two copies of letters entitled "Request
to the people of Burma" written by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, General
Secretary of the NLD. 

However, U Than Win was not charged and was later released.

The NLD have named Captain Kyaw Soe Oo from MIS-15 as the leader
of the group of seven MIS officers responsible for arresting and
beating the NLD official.
 
An statement issued by the NLD on September 21 reported that
Chauk township NLD party chairman, U Kyi Toe, and secretary U
Aung Than Nyunt, were tried at a local court, but that no one,
including defence counsel, was allowed to be present. The party
has accused the military authorities of violating normal legal
procedures. 

The two officials were each given sentences of seven years
imprisonment with hard labour. They are currently held in Thayet
Prison some 300 kilometres north of Rangoon.

ABSDF Foreign Affairs Spokesman Zaw Min said that there are
thousands of political prisoners in Burma. 

"Officers from the MIS routinely round up political opponents and
anti-military activists. Once detained, detainees are
blindfolded, mistreated, tortured and questioned incessantly.
They are also not given water or food during the first few days
of detention. By the time that they are actually sent to prison,
they are half-dead". 

Chauk is famous for its oilfields and long history of defiance,
which has included strikes against the British and the 1972
Labour Strike that spread across the country.

All Burma Students' Democratic Front

For more information please contact 01-309 3846, 10-253 9082