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NEWS - Prisoners' Release a Gambit
- Subject: NEWS - Prisoners' Release a Gambit
- From: Rangoonp@xxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 19:41:00
Subject: NEWS - Prisoners' Release a Gambit for EU-ASEAN Meet
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Prisoners' Release a Gambit for EU-ASEAN Meet
Inter Press Service
23-FEB-99
CHIANG MAI, Thailand, (Feb. 23) IPS - Burma's release of
two political prisoners this month surprised many, but
skeptics say it is little more than a public relations gambit
ahead of a March summit between European and South-east
Asian nations.
Ma Thida, a 34-year-old political prisoner and known
short-story writer, was released from Insein prison on Feb
11. Four days after her release, another writer, Nyi Pu Lay,
was freed.
Dissidents and Burma watchers suggested they were freed
as a part of the junta's campaign to lobby the European
Union in its objections to Rangoon's participation at the
EU-Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN)
summit in Berlin, Germany next month.
EU members had earlier asked Rangoon to make a human
rights "gesture" before Burma could attend the Mar 29-30
summit.
European governments said they would not sit down with
Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung because of the
country's poor human rights record.
Win Aung recently traveled to four ASEAN countries --
Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore -- to lobby for
Burma's participation in the Berlin summit.
In Singapore, Win Aung said: "The rest (ASEAN) will not go
without us, without me. Do you think they will go there
without me participating in that meeting? I don't think so."
But one Bangkok-based diplomat said the EU is not merely
asking Burma to free political prisoners, but wants the
Rangoon generals to open a meaningful political meetings
with opposition group led by Nobel Peace Laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi.
Clearly, however, Ma's release "is an important gesture to
the EU showing Burma's seriousness to attend the Berlin
summit", the diplomat said.
Skeptics add though the release of the two generals does
not signify a change of heart by the junta -- given its
continued crackdown on activists and the opposition
National League for Democracy (NLD).
"No one is fooled by this. We know that Ma Thida is just a
bargaining chip for Win Aung's trip (to Berlin)," said a
Burmese activist based in Thailand.
Burma's participation in ASEAN's meetings with European
governments has been a ticklish issue since Rangoon
became a member in 1997.
In fact, Burma has replaced East Timor as the most
troublesome human rights issue that ties up relations
between ASEAN and European governments.
Complicated negotiations took place between ASEAN and
European officials ahead of the Asia-Europe meeting in
January, with European diplomats insisting the Burmese
could attend but not speak.
Last week, the Burmese state media called EU members
"neo- colonialists" for opposing its participation in the
Berlin
meeting.
For their part, ASEAN members are caught between a
realization of the deadweight that Rangoon is in ties with
Europe and the belief that the EU cannot dictate who should
or should not be part of the meeting because Burma is
already an ASEAN member.
Like many of Burma's prominent artists and writers, Ma
Thida joined Suu Kyi's NLD in 1988. A friend of Suu Kyi's,
she organized on behalf of the party and gave speeches.
She was arrested in 1990, released, then re-arrested in
1993 for distributing leaflets urging people to boycott the
junta- organized National Convention. At the time of her
arrest she was working as a surgeon at the Muslim Free
Hospital.
Ma Thida's short stories, often about her poor patients and
Burma's one-party, have been banned from publication since
she was put in prison.
Nyi Pu Lay is also a short story writer whose articles began
appearing in Burmese magazines in the early 1980s.
Independent human rights groups estimate that some 2,000
prisoners remain in Burma's prisons, and activists say there
are more than 200 women political prisoners.
Famous writer San San Nweh and her daughter, are both in
Insein prison. Daw Kyi Kyi, a woman political prisoner now
almost 80 years old, remains in detention.
Ma Sanda, a former political prisoner and now member of
the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (Foreign Affairs'
Committee) in exile, said: "What I know now is the (female)
prisoners' health situation is getting worse. I heard that
many
are sick and receive no proper medical treatment."
Ma Sanda worries about Ma Thida's health, saying "we
knew that she was very sick in prison".
Some detainees have died in prison, or right after being
freed. Mandalay monk U Yewata died at beginning of this
year after he was unexpectedly released from prison. He had
organized monks' massive protests in 1990s but was later
forced to disrobe and was thrown into prison.
"When they (authorities) knew some important figures are
dying (in prisons) they release them," Ma Sanda said, adding
that the junta carefully and cleverly picked Ma Thida
because she is a well- known figure internationally.
But while the Burmese junta recently released some
well-known prisoners, it also handed down heavy sentences
to young students and activists and persisted with efforts to
break up political opposition.
Three weeks ago, some 200 students and activists were
given lengthy jail terms.
Thet Win Aung, a student activist in his late 20s got
received
a 52-year sentence. His close friend, Min Zin, now in exile,
said after: "The sentence is longer than that South African
President Nelson Mandela had to serve."
Burmese exiles say at least four student leaders were given
jail terms of some 150 years between them. Their crime was
distributing anti-junta leaflets, organizing protests, and
contacting rebel groups along the Thai-Burma border.
The junta has also stepped up its anti-NLD campaign across
Burma, forcing NLD offices to shut down and, in the
provinces, intimidating members of the opposition party and
forcing them to resign.
Said a former woman political prisoner: "The irony is that
Burma is a police state where, regardless of whether one is
in jail or not, almost everyone feels that they are
prisoners."