Amnesty Still Uncertain as Prisoners Transferred

By WAI MOE

Burma's prominent dissident Min Ko Naing and other political prisoners are being transferred to different jails as prospects for a further amnesty remain in doubt, claim sources in Rangoon.

And it seems unlikely that those transferred will be included in any forthcoming release with the move considered a reaction to humanitarian calls to relocate remaining incarcerated dissidents to be closer to their relatives on the outside.

Alongside Min Ko Naing, leader of the 88 Generation Students group, other well known political prisoners reportedly being transferred include Hkun Htun Oo of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, leading monk Ashin Gambira, prominent female activist Nilar Thein of the 88 group, Pandeik Tun also of the 88 group, Nyi Pu who won a seat in the 1990 elections and labor activist Thuyein Aung.

"As far as I know from family members and prison officials, Min Ko Naing will be transferred from Kengtung to Rangoon by air," said Thein Than Tun, a member of the 88 Generation Students group who is monitoring the situation from Rangoon.

"U Hkun Htun Oo will be transferred from Putao Prison in Kachin State [in northern Burma] to Thaungoo Prison in Pegu Region through Myitkyina and Mandalay," he added. "Ashin Gambira and U Nyi Pu will be transferred from Kalay Prison."

Saw Thet Tun, a former political prisoner who was released last month from Tharyawaddy Prison in Pegu Region, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that he heard Nilar Thein had arrived in Tharyawaddy Prison that afternoon.

Meanwhile, a diplomatic source in Rangoon who is in touch with government officials said he heard almost all inmates of the 88 Generation Students group who are serving 65-year sentences would be transferred from remote prisons.

"All those serving 65 years except Ko Mya Aye in Thaunggyi Prison will be moved to different prisons. We will have to see if it is to Insein Prison [in Rangoon]," he said.

In the months following August 2007, 37 members of the 88 Generation Students group were arrested and imprisoned for terms up to 65 years. Currently 28 members of the group including Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Htay Kywe remain in prison while some members were released in the May and October amnesties.

The transfer of political prisoners comes shortly after the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission wrote an open letter to President Thein Sein regarding "Prisoners of Conscience" which appeared in state-run-newspapers on Sunday. The 15-member body includes retired senior officials, diplomats, academics, doctors and lawyers and is supposed to be independent of government influence.

In the letter, the commission said it "again humbly requests the president as a reflection of his magnanimity to include those prisoners when a subsequent amnesty is granted."

"If for reasons of maintaining peace and stability, certain prisoners cannot as yet be included in the amnesty, the commission would like to respectfully submit that consideration be made for transferring them to prisons with easy access for their family members," the statement continued.

Following the letter, family members and friends of political prisoners hoped for further releases on Monday, as the previous Oct.12 amnesty was announced by Thein Sein the day after receiving an open letter from the commission.

"According to our list, around 160 political prisoners including 40 monks and 35 military intelligence officers who were arrested in 2004 are to be released in the coming amnesty," said Thein Than Tun. "So it seems all political prisoners will not be released."

"However, currently the possible future releases are not set in stone as the National Defense and Security Council [the highest authority in Burma] has not yet passed the amnesty," he added.

Despite hopes for an amnesty, other dissident activities remain under suppression. Nay Myo Zin, a former military captain, was sentenced on Aug. 26 to 10 years imprisonment under the Electronic Act for contacting former military officers in exile through the internet. On Nov. 2, Nay Myo Zin's appeal was rejected by the Rangoon Region Court.

His lawyer, Hla Myo Myint, told The Irrawaddy that his client was barred from getting medical care for back pain in prison which he suffered as a result of being tortured during interrogation.

Five Buddhist monks launched a protest at Maha Mya Muni Monastery in Mandalay on Tuesday calling for the immediate and unconditional release of political activists who are being detained in prisons across the country.