[burmanet2-l] Jailed Briton's paren

[dawnstar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Re: [burmanet2-l] Jailed Briton's parents meet Burmese Envoy

I had a friend once kidnapped by the police in chile, and ransomed. It
cost the family a lot, and was a backdoor diplomatic incident to get him
out since the family had top connections to the US republican party, the
CIA and several US presidents dating back to the turn of the century. So
he was ransomed. In the end I think they busted him out and whisked him
back to safety. The family never talks about it nor does the kid now a
young family man. 

I just wonder how much the Burmese generals are going to try to bleed
this family for her daughter's bravery. If the generals were wise, which
they are not, they would have quietly settled this affair, instead of
blowing it up. Now, it may even be too late for them to ask for anything
from the family, but you now, they will, greedy theives can't resist
stealing. Its their nature. It would be too odd and out of character for
them to show grace and goodwill. Again, how stark the difference between
the moral righteousness and distinguished character of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, and what a pitiful display of stupidity and bad conduct by the
regime. If it werent for the drugs, and partners like TOTAL and Unocal,
and the Singapore sling of money launderers, they would be out of power
by now. The world is sick of them and sicker for it, but people like
James and Rachael shed light on darkness and make give this nightmare a
human side showing once again that the world cares and will not be
defeated or destroyed by such sickness and ignorance. God bless them and
their families and supporters.  

ds


Julien Moe wrote:
> 
> Friday, September 17, 1999 Published at 15:37 GMT 16:37 UK
> 
> UK
> 
> Jailed Briton's parents meet Burmese Envoy
> 
> Found guilty of "endangering peace" ©Charmian Goldwyn
> 
> The parents of a British woman jailed for seven years in Burma for singing a
> pro-democracy song have had a "helpful" meeting with the Burmese Ambassador.
> Rachel Goldwyn, 28, was sentenced to seven years with labour on Thursday for
> tying herself to a lamp post in central Yangon and singing pro-democracy
> slogans.
> 
> 
> The BBC's Sophie Decker speaking to Rachel's parents
> The sentence shocked her family, dashing hopes that she would be deported
> for the incident.
> 
> Miss Goldwyn, from Barnes in south west London, is being held at Insein
> prison, in Rangoon, Burma, now known as Myanmar.
> 
> Her mother, Charmian Goldwyn, said she and her husband, Ed, had met Burmese
> Ambassador, Dr Kyaw Win, at the Embassy, in central London on Friday.
> 
> 
> Rachel sang the protest song "We will never forget"
> "He is a very nice man. He could not tell us very much, but it was
> comforting and helpful to speak to him about the situation," she said.
> 
> "We really wanted to get advice on what to do next. We are waiting to hear
> if we will get visas to go to Myanmar.
> 
> "I really want to see my daughter so much and see how she is. I know she is
> tough and she will be coping, but I want to see her."
> 
> A Foreign Office spokesman said that the British Ambassador in Burma, John
> Jenkins, had met senior officials from Burma's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
> 
> He relayed shock at the severity of the sentence and expressed concern over
> the way the case had been handled.
> 
> 
> The BBC's Julia Rooke: "Human rights movements are worried"
> The Burmese Embassy in London denied that the authorities were trying to
> make an example of either Goldwyn or James Mawdsley, another British
> pro-democracy activist who was jailed two weeks ago.
> 
> In a statement to the BBC, the embassy accused both Britons of having worked
> in rebel camps belonging to the Karen (a people fighting a losing battle for
> autonomy in Burma) on Burma's borders.
> 
> It said that it suspected them of trying to incite unrest, rather than
> merely voicing support for democracy.
> 
> Violent suppression
> 
> Miss Goldwyn was sentenced under Burma's Emergency Provisions Act, which has
> been used by the ruling military to stifle dissent.
> 
> She admitted staging the protest but maintained she did not intend to incite
> unrest.
> 
> Her lawyer told the court that an appeal would be lodged.
> 
> Burma's ruling junta took power in 1988 after violently suppressing
> pro-democracy demonstrations.
> 
> It held a general election in 1990 but refused to let parliament convene
> after a landslide victory by the democratic opposition.
> 
> The junta is criticised in the West for widespread human rights violations.