Many
political prisoners are reportedly seriously ailing and receiving no regular
healthcare. The International Committee of the Red Cross has been denied free
access to conduct confidential prison visits since December 2005. Arrests and
intimidation of political activists and journalists in Burma have been going on
for two decades.
In 2009, there were three known political prisoner deaths. Salai Hla Moe, Saw Char Late and Tin Tin Htwe all died in prison due to lack of proper medical care. According to the AAPP's documentation, at least 143 political prisoners have died in prison since 1988. But the list is incomplete, as the military authorities black out information from the prisons.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International warned Burma's military regime in a major report released on 16 February 2010. The 58-page report - The Repression of ethnic minority activists in Myanmar - draws on accounts from more than 700 activists from the seven largest ethnic minorities, including the Rakhine, Shan, Kachin, and Chin, covering a two-year period from August 2007.
The military authorities have arrested, imprisoned, and in some cases tortured or even killed ethnic minority activists. Minority groups have also faced extensive surveillance, harassment and discrimination when trying to carry out their legitimate activities.
Amnesty International urged the
government to lift restrictions on freedom of association, assembly, and
religion in the run-up to the elections; to release immediately and
unconditionally all prisoners of conscience; and to remove restrictions on
independent media to cover the campaigning and election process.
Amnesty International called on Burma or Myanmar's neighbors in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as China, Myanmar's biggest international supporter, to push the government to ensure that the people of Myanmar will be able to freely express their opinions, gather peacefully, and participate openly in the political process.
"The government of Myanmar should use the elections as an opportunity to improve its human rights record, not as a spur to increase repression of dissenting voices, especially those from the ethnic minorities," said Benjamin Zawacki, AI's Burma (Myanmar) specialist.
But, the mood of the junta shows clearly that it has no plan to pay attention to international concerns, release political prisoners or commence a dialogue for reconciliation. According to a Burmese analyst, it is baseless to believe that the military dictators are going to build a democratic country by means of the 2008 constitution. But, it's regrettable Asean has been supporting the unprincipled regime in Burma that gives various miseries to its own people.
In 2009, there were three known political prisoner deaths. Salai Hla Moe, Saw Char Late and Tin Tin Htwe all died in prison due to lack of proper medical care. According to the AAPP's documentation, at least 143 political prisoners have died in prison since 1988. But the list is incomplete, as the military authorities black out information from the prisons.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International warned Burma's military regime in a major report released on 16 February 2010. The 58-page report - The Repression of ethnic minority activists in Myanmar - draws on accounts from more than 700 activists from the seven largest ethnic minorities, including the Rakhine, Shan, Kachin, and Chin, covering a two-year period from August 2007.
The military authorities have arrested, imprisoned, and in some cases tortured or even killed ethnic minority activists. Minority groups have also faced extensive surveillance, harassment and discrimination when trying to carry out their legitimate activities.
Amnesty International called on Burma or Myanmar's neighbors in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as China, Myanmar's biggest international supporter, to push the government to ensure that the people of Myanmar will be able to freely express their opinions, gather peacefully, and participate openly in the political process.
"The government of Myanmar should use the elections as an opportunity to improve its human rights record, not as a spur to increase repression of dissenting voices, especially those from the ethnic minorities," said Benjamin Zawacki, AI's Burma (Myanmar) specialist.
But, the mood of the junta shows clearly that it has no plan to pay attention to international concerns, release political prisoners or commence a dialogue for reconciliation. According to a Burmese analyst, it is baseless to believe that the military dictators are going to build a democratic country by means of the 2008 constitution. But, it's regrettable Asean has been supporting the unprincipled regime in Burma that gives various miseries to its own people.
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