The Forgotten Women of Burma
Original Article From http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Messages in the Postcards.....
Here are some messages that people from different world wrote in the campaign postcards. We invite anyone to print the postcards from this blog and write something to support the cause. The people from the Campaign for Releasing Women Political Prisoners in Burma, Thai students and other individuals are planning to bring the collected postcards to the Myanmar Embassy (Burmese Embassy) in Bangkok on September 27.
We would like to thank to those who support our campaign in different ways.
CAMPAIGN FOR RELEASING WOMEN POLITICAL PRISONERS IN BURMA
We would like to thank to those who support our campaign in different ways.
CAMPAIGN FOR RELEASING WOMEN POLITICAL PRISONERS IN BURMA
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Burma's parliament calls for release of political prisoners
Members of Myanmar's army-dominated parliament have called for an amnesty for political prisoners after a UN envoy called for the release of prisoners of conscience.
A proposal for a general amnesty was raised in Burma's lower house on Friday.
"They firmly hope that the president would make (an) assessment and release an order of amnesty," the New Light of Myanmar reported.
The plight of around 2,000 political prisoners, many of whom are serving double-digit jail terms, is a key concern of the international community, along with other human rights abuses and democratic reforms.
It is the first time that serving military members of parliament have taken part in a discussion of a general amnesty since a nominally civilian government took over in March. A quarter of seats are reserved for the army.
The regime, which came to power after controversial November elections, appears keen to improve its image and recently held the first talks between democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and President Thein Sein, a former general.
But the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, said serious concerns remained as he concluded a visit to the country on Thursday.
The UN envoy, who visited Yangon's notorious Insein jail during his five day trip, voiced fears over allegations of torture during detention and the use of prisoners as porters for the military.
"Of key concern to me and the international community is the continuing detention of a large number of prisoners of conscience," Mr Quintana said.
In a move that rights groups said was woefully insufficient, Burma reduced all current jail sentences by one year in May and commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment.
Amnesty International said that political detainees are imprisoned using vague laws that criminalise peaceful political activists.
They are held in poor conditions and moved to jails far from their homes and families.
Opposition leader Suu Kyi was freed from seven years of house arrest in November shortly after the election, Myanmar's first in 20 years.
Mr Quintana, who also held talks with the Nobel laureate last week, urged Myanmar's parliamentarians, many of whom shed military uniforms to contest the election, to hold "open and inclusive debates on issues of national importance".hare1
A proposal for a general amnesty was raised in Burma's lower house on Friday.
"They firmly hope that the president would make (an) assessment and release an order of amnesty," the New Light of Myanmar reported.
The plight of around 2,000 political prisoners, many of whom are serving double-digit jail terms, is a key concern of the international community, along with other human rights abuses and democratic reforms.
It is the first time that serving military members of parliament have taken part in a discussion of a general amnesty since a nominally civilian government took over in March. A quarter of seats are reserved for the army.
The regime, which came to power after controversial November elections, appears keen to improve its image and recently held the first talks between democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and President Thein Sein, a former general.
But the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, said serious concerns remained as he concluded a visit to the country on Thursday.
The UN envoy, who visited Yangon's notorious Insein jail during his five day trip, voiced fears over allegations of torture during detention and the use of prisoners as porters for the military.
"Of key concern to me and the international community is the continuing detention of a large number of prisoners of conscience," Mr Quintana said.
In a move that rights groups said was woefully insufficient, Burma reduced all current jail sentences by one year in May and commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment.
Amnesty International said that political detainees are imprisoned using vague laws that criminalise peaceful political activists.
They are held in poor conditions and moved to jails far from their homes and families.
Opposition leader Suu Kyi was freed from seven years of house arrest in November shortly after the election, Myanmar's first in 20 years.
Mr Quintana, who also held talks with the Nobel laureate last week, urged Myanmar's parliamentarians, many of whom shed military uniforms to contest the election, to hold "open and inclusive debates on issues of national importance".hare1
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Nobel Aye denied family visits for 'breaking prison rules'
Source Irrawaddy
Hnin May Aung (aka Nobel Aye), a prominent female political prisoner in Burma, has been denied visits by her family for calling on the Burmese government to withdraw a public statement claiming that the country has no political prisoners.
Relatives told The Irrawaddy that when they arrived at Monywa Prison in Sagaing Region on July 7, they were told that they could not see Nobel Aye because she had broken prison rules.
“Her father had no chance to give her the parcel we had prepared for her. When he asked a prison official why he couldn't see her, he was told that a superior official had instructed them to bar family visits, because if someone breaks the prison rules, they should be punished. But the official didn't say which rule my daughter broke,” said Nobel Aye's mother, Aye Myint Than.
Aye Myint Than said that while her husband was waiting to meet with the prison official, he could hear his daughter calling out for her mother, who usually came for prison visits, but was unable to do so on this occasion.
Suffering from jaundice
“I'm so worried about her because she is suffering from jaundice. I haven't been able to sleep well since I heard about her calling for me like that,” she added.
This episode occurred just one day after Nobel Aye submitted a letter to prison officials calling on Vice President Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, Foreign Affairs Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and presidential adviser Ko Ko Hlaing to retract their recent reiteration of the government's position that the country has no political prisoners.
Nobel Aye is currently serving her second prison term. She was first imprisoned in 1998, when she received a 42-year sentence for engaging in non-violent political activities together with her mother. She was released under an amnesty in July 2005, following the ouster of Gen Khin Nyunt and the disbandment of his military intelligence apparatus.
Second prison term
She was arrested again on Aug 23, 2007 for taking part in a protest led by the 88 Generation Students group following a dramatic hike in fuel prices that later sparked monk-led demonstrations.
Nobel Aye is not the only political prisoner who has spoken out against the government's claims that there are no political detainees in Burma. Nay Phone Latt, a blogger who is serving a 12-year prison sentence in Pa-an Prison in Karen State, also opposed the government officials' statements.
“They [political prisoners] can't accept this because they have to serve their full prison terms even after other prisoners were granted a remission,” said Aye Aye Than, mother of Nay Phone Latt, who last visited her son in early July.
Meanwhile, five political prisoners in Meiktila Prison in Mandalay Region have also sent a letter to Burma's new president, ex-Gen Thein Sein, calling for their immediate release and a public examination of their cases.
According to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, there are 1,994 political prisoners currently serving sentences Burma's prisons, of whom 145 are women.
Hnin May Aung (aka Nobel Aye), a prominent female political prisoner in Burma, has been denied visits by her family for calling on the Burmese government to withdraw a public statement claiming that the country has no political prisoners.
Relatives told The Irrawaddy that when they arrived at Monywa Prison in Sagaing Region on July 7, they were told that they could not see Nobel Aye because she had broken prison rules.
“Her father had no chance to give her the parcel we had prepared for her. When he asked a prison official why he couldn't see her, he was told that a superior official had instructed them to bar family visits, because if someone breaks the prison rules, they should be punished. But the official didn't say which rule my daughter broke,” said Nobel Aye's mother, Aye Myint Than.
Aye Myint Than said that while her husband was waiting to meet with the prison official, he could hear his daughter calling out for her mother, who usually came for prison visits, but was unable to do so on this occasion.
Suffering from jaundice
“I'm so worried about her because she is suffering from jaundice. I haven't been able to sleep well since I heard about her calling for me like that,” she added.
This episode occurred just one day after Nobel Aye submitted a letter to prison officials calling on Vice President Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, Foreign Affairs Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and presidential adviser Ko Ko Hlaing to retract their recent reiteration of the government's position that the country has no political prisoners.
Nobel Aye is currently serving her second prison term. She was first imprisoned in 1998, when she received a 42-year sentence for engaging in non-violent political activities together with her mother. She was released under an amnesty in July 2005, following the ouster of Gen Khin Nyunt and the disbandment of his military intelligence apparatus.
Second prison term
She was arrested again on Aug 23, 2007 for taking part in a protest led by the 88 Generation Students group following a dramatic hike in fuel prices that later sparked monk-led demonstrations.
Nobel Aye is not the only political prisoner who has spoken out against the government's claims that there are no political detainees in Burma. Nay Phone Latt, a blogger who is serving a 12-year prison sentence in Pa-an Prison in Karen State, also opposed the government officials' statements.
“They [political prisoners] can't accept this because they have to serve their full prison terms even after other prisoners were granted a remission,” said Aye Aye Than, mother of Nay Phone Latt, who last visited her son in early July.
Meanwhile, five political prisoners in Meiktila Prison in Mandalay Region have also sent a letter to Burma's new president, ex-Gen Thein Sein, calling for their immediate release and a public examination of their cases.
According to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, there are 1,994 political prisoners currently serving sentences Burma's prisons, of whom 145 are women.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Women Political Prisoners in Burma
See also the list of Burmese women political prisoners at
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)
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