According to a reliable news source, Burmese military junta released one prominent political prisoner quietly on 21 November, Htay Win Aung (alias) Pyone Cho, who was earlier a Joint General Secretary of Rangoon Division Students' Union in 1988-89 period, at the time of his arrest..
Htay Win Aung was arrested in July 1989, together with his colleague Tint Sann, and the military authorities accused them of being connected with a dissident group based in Thai-Burma border and participating in anti-SLORC activities.
Though they were arrested in July 1989, the two were put on trial at the military court No.2, located inside the Insein Prison later in 1991. The military court No.2 composed of Lt.Col. Khin Maung Phyu (Army), Maj. Aung Sann (Navy) and Maj. Nyi Nyi Lwin (Airforce). It was a sham trial, where lawyers or relatives were not allowed. They were slapped with charges under the Security Act, clause 5 (J), and the Unlawful Association Act, clauses 17(1) and finally sentenced in August 1991, for each of the two accused to serve 7 years of rigorous imprisonment.
At the time of arrest, Htay Win Aung was a student doing his MSc. in Geology. He was a well-known student leader of the Rangoon Division Students' Union during 1988 Students' demonstrations. He is also a good artist and was also gifted at embroidery. He illustrated many clandestine hand-written magazines brought out inside the Insein Prison. His paintings were attractive. Subsequently for clandestine activities inside the notorious prison, he was again sentenced on 28 March 1996, to an additional 7 years of imprisonment.
Even though, Htay Win Aung's prison terms expired in the year 2000 after remissions, but he was not released. Suddenly now, the junta released him after having served 14 years and 4 months in prison. Htay Win Aung's alias Pyone Cho was released from the most notorious Myingyan Prison in the Mandalay division.
Usually the military rulers used to release a statement whenever they freed prisoners to say that the freed prisoners are in good health and are back home with their families. But, they behaved in quiver manner when they freed Htay Win Aung quietly without any usual rhetoric.
What went wrong in this case? According to Rangoon sources, Htay Win Aung was released as he was suffering from severe malnutrition problem and also suffering from a gradual loss of eye-sight due to cataracts.
It is said that the authorities released him after he completely lost his eyesight and as a virtual a blind man. His family said that he is very frail, weak and cannot walk erectly and they also suspect that he is suffering from tuberculosis. Friends and relatives are deeply concerned about his health condition. His younger brother Thet Win Aung is in Hkam-ti Prison, located in north western part of the country, where he is serving 52 years imprisonment for his involvement in student's strikes in1998.
The same sources said that there are 5 political prisoners in Myin-gyan Prison, namely Aung Moe, Myo Min Hteik, Soe Thaung, Zaw Than and Kyaw Mya who were transferred on September 09 from Bassein Prison, after a prison riot. It was reported that those five prisoners legs were shackled and beaten severely on their way to Bassein prison. They were not allowed to meet their family members. Also they were denied taking bath for a period of well over two months.
It came to light that the prison authorities feed them only just with boiled rice and salt, without any sauce or soup. Due to the heavy iron-shackles on their legs worn throughout day and night, they have sore injuries and medical treatments too were denied.
At present according to relaiable information, they undergo ruthless tortures, physically and mentally, in Myin-gyan Prison. As a result of physical torture, Kyaw Mya (56) has lost all his teeth and facing a life-threatening situation.
Another tragic story was about Daw Aye Myint Than (50) and her daughter Hnin May Aung (aka) Nobel Aye who were put into the same cell in Myaung-mya Prison in delta region. Earlier, Aye Myint Than was the Secretary of the National League for Democracy, Thingangyun township in Rangoon. She also was an executive member of the NLD Rangoon Division’s Women's Wing. She is a committed anti-junta political activist and strongly supported the movement of forming the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament.
For participating in the pro-CRPP movement, she was arrested on 6 September 1998 and summarily sentenced to 21 years imprisonment. Her daughter Nobel Aye was a third year university student majoring in Physics. As a group-leader of ABSFU, she organized students’ demonstration in the downtown Rangoon. She too was arrested and the military court sentenced her to 42 years imprisonment. Now, it is reported that Aye Myint Than is paralyzed since 2001 and as she was not provided with any medical treatment, she is said to be in a critical condition. Urgent hospitalization, it was told would save her condition from getting worse.
According to reliable information following political prisoners are on the verge of dying and they have to be released from the prison immediately and hospitalized and left in the care of their loved ones and relatives, if their lives are to be saved:
1. U Win Tin (2001 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Winner)
2. U Own Kying (Aung Wint, editor of Bo-ta-htaung Daily and NLD MP)
3. Sein Hla Oo (Maung Nwe Oo, editor of Bo-ta-htaung Daily & NLD MP)
4. Kyi Tin Oo (poet and editor)
5. U Khin Maung Swe (columnist on Taw-win magazine and NLD MP)
6. Aung Zin Min (poet and editor of New Style magazine)
7. U Htwe Myint (ex-BBC staff reporter)
8. Aung Myint (Phyapon Nilon Oo, poet and editor)
9. Mon-ywa Aung Shin (Poet)
10. U Tun Myint (Head of NLD-HQ Office In charge & writer)
11. Dr. Khin Zaw Win (researcher)
It is regrettably learnt that many prisoners in the Burmese notorious prisons are on their way to the graveyard or cemeteries. So far it is confirmed that 84 unfortunate political prisoners had passed away silently in the hellhole prisons of the Burmese junta.
- Asian Tribune -
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