Nargis Political Prisoners

FREE BURMA’S CYCLONE NARGIS POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW!

Cyclone Nargis Political Prisoners in Burma Since Cyclone Nargis struck Burma one year ago, 21 people have been arrested for providing urgently needed assistance to cyclone survivors. Individuals and community groups have and continue to play a vital role in supporting cyclone victims, sometimes being the only source of aid for entire communities. Rather than congratulating them for their hard work, Burma’s military dictators have arrested and imprisoned them for helping their fellow citizens. The Cyclone Nargis political prisoners are among 2,138 political prisoners in Burma. Conditions for political prisoners are bad. While imprisoned political prisoners are subjected to psychological and physical torture including severe beatings, rape, electric shocks and solitary confinement. Many political prisoners are kept in their cells for 24 hours a day, are given inadequate food, are in poor health and denied proper medical treatment. Insein Prison conditions have worsened since Cyclone Nargis. The cyclone tore off the roof of one building and 36 inmates were shot dead. Some political prisoners are denied visits and provisions. Daily exercise time has gone from 1 hour to 20 minutes. Health has deteriorated after prisoners were given mouldy rice, spoiled by flooding during the cyclone. Prisoners have had diarrhoea, dysentery, vomiting and dizziness, skin allergies, swollen stomachs and typhoid. This small collection of Nargis political prisoners is a window to their world; their commitment to the people of Burma and how they were helping them. Their courage and bravery is great and should be encouraged, not punished. Take easy and effective steps to make a difference. Free Cyclone Nargis Political Prisoners and Free Burma: • • • • •

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Zarganar Arrested: June 4, 2008 Sentence: 59 years Prison: Myitkyina Prison Zarganar, Burma’s most famous comedian Photo: Alex Lewis was organising relief missions to Cyclone affected areas. He was coordinating 400 volunteers, who were providing assistance to 42 villages. This is not his first arrest or imprisonment. Previously the military had banned him indefinitely from performing publically or participating in any entertainment work. Aung Kyaw San Arrested: June 14th, 2008 Sentence: Unknown Prison: Insein Aung Kyaw San was the chief editor of the Myanmar Tribune and the leader of “The Group That Buries the Dead”. His group of volunteers collected corpses from Cyclone Nargis and either cremated or buried them, offering appropriate burial rites. Six other people from “The Groups That Buries the Dead” were also arrested. Other Nargis Political Prisoners: Eimt Khaing Oo Tin Tin Cho Yin Yin Wyne Myat Thu Tin Maung Aye Phyo Phyo Aung Shein Yazar Tun Phone Pyeit Kywe Lin Htet Naing Zaw Naing Theingi Oo Cho Cho Tin Thant Zin Aung

Kyaw Kyaw Thant Wai Lin Aung Ni Mo Hlaing Thet Zaw Naw Win Ni Mo Hlaing

A year after Cyclone Nargis killed 140,000 people and left over 1 million homeless in Burma, thousands of cyclone survivors are struggling every day to meet their basic needs. In the wake of the Burma’s worst natural disaster the military forced their self-serving undemocratic constitution upon the people through a sham referendum. Only when the referendum was over did the military junta allow international aid in. By then it was too late for many.

The real disaster in Burma is the military dictatorship.

c/- The Burma Office Labor Council Building Suite 6, Level 8 377-383 Sussex Street, NSW, 2000 02 9264 7694 [email protected] www.aucampaignforburma.org