Imprisoned Burmese students fall ill
Students imprisoned by Burma's ruling junta are suffering from deteriorating health according to the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU). The ABFS supports the banned National League for Democracy (NLD), the political party which won Burma's first democratic parliamentary elections after years of military dictatorship in 1990. The results were ignored by the military, who refused to relinquish power.
Led by Aung San Suu Kyi, whose father was Prime Minister of the first democratic Burmese government following independence from Britain in 1947, the NLD has faced severe repression from the Burmese government. In 2002 Ms. Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, but by early 2003 she was once again confined to her Rangoon residence.
The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) led by General Than Shwe has faced international condemnation for the country's human rights record. Although the regime faces sanctions from the United States and Britain several multinational corporations continue to function in Burma. The Franco-Belgium oil company Fina-Total has faced criticism for undertaking the construction of gas pipelines in Burma which allegedly made use of slave labour.
The ABFSU is particularly concerned about the health of Ye Kyaw Swa, Kyaw Linn Htun, Myo Min Zaw and Nay Linn Soe. All are serving prison sentences of 19 years for organising peaceful demonstrations or working for the ABFSU. They are not permitted to read or write and are isolated from other prisoners. The ABFSU reports that this has caused depression and skin disorders amongst the prisoners, some of whom have been in jail since 1996.
Mr. Min Naing head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the ABFSU issued the following statement, "We are seriously concerned about the
situation of those students, who have been imprisoned because of their
commitment to, and the best interests of, their country. They peacefully
practiced civil rights and citizen rights, for the cause of their country.
They are not criminals. They were wrongly arrested. The continued arrest of such students is a kind of treason and a danger to the future of Burma.
This is especially the case of students who love their country and have
done their best for what he or she thought for the nation. All Student
Political Prisoners have to be released if the military government really
wants a national reconciliation and a democratization process in the country."
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