His protest also comes three weeks after U.S. Senator Russell Feingold
(D-WI) and Representative Max Burns (R-GA) publicly condemned Dr. Tun
Than's imprisonment and the ongoing human rights violations by Burma's
ruling military regime on the floor of the United States Congress.
Burma's military regime, led by Senior General Than Shwe, imprisoned Dr.
Tun Than in November 2001 after he conducted a solo protest in front of
Rangoon City Hall and called for an end to military rule and the
restoration of democracy. During his protest, he donned an academic gown
and distributed a letter that read, among other things, "It is better to
die than to live under the military regime." The regime sentenced him to
seven years in prison.
Among the violations Dr. Salai Tun Than is protesting, according to
reliable sources inside Burma, are the continued imprisonment of 1,400
political prisoners even after many have completed their sentences,
interrogations of prisoners following visits by the United Nations
Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Paulo Sergio Pinheiro and the
International Committee of the Red Cross, restrictions on communication
between prisoners, unsanitary prison conditions, inadequate medical
supplies and treatment, and forced "hooding" as prisoners are
transported outside.
He is also protesting restrictions on his religious freedom as a
Christian, including the regime's refusal to allow him a Bible or to
receive communion. Dr. Tun Than suffers from severe ill health including
eye problems, bone disease, and other ailments.
According to former political prisoner Aung Din, who is now Director of
Policy for the Free Burma Coalition in Washington, D.C., Dr. Tun Than's
protest may place him in danger of beatings, torture, and even death,
"In the past, guards have placed hunger-strikers in solitary confinement
where they were beaten, tortured, and shackled, and some even beaten to
death. I am very worried that Dr. Salai Tun Than may face such
punishment or even be killed. At a minimum, he may be relocated to a
prison far from his family."
On May 13, 1998, for example, another of Burma's political prisoners,
Aung Kyaw Moe, was beaten to death by prison superintendent Win Myint
and his troops in Tharyarwaddy prison for staging a hunger strike.
Approximately 189 of Burma's 1,400 political prisoners face serious
health problems, and many have died in recent years.
Dr. Salai Tun Than is a Baptist Christian and an alumnus of both the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Georgia.
On April 24th, President Bush released a statement calling the leader of
Burma's democracy movement, 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San
Suu Kyi, "an example for those around the world who strive for freedom
and the non-negotiable demands of human dignity." The message also read,
"The United States continues to recognize the results of the 1990
elections and supports her goals to restore democracy and national
reconciliation through effective political dialogue with the ruling
military regime."
On April 8th, Senator Feingold demanded the release of Tun Than and
harshly criticized Burma's regime, stating "I am. concerned about the
case of Dr. Salai Tun Than, an alumnus of the University of
Wisconsin-Madison." The following day, Congressman Burns called the
imprisonment "unlawful" and said, "We must work to stop this regime from
imprisoning political dissidents and work toward a freer nation for all
Burmese citizens."
In a major policy address in February, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State
Lorne Craner said that if Than Shwe's military regime refuses to enter
into a constructive dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese
people under the auspices of the United Nations, the United States would
consider imposing new economic and political sanctions against the
regime. The Dallas Morning News reported on April 6th that the powerful
Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell might introduce legislation aimed
at penalizing Than Shwe's ongoing rights abuses in the near future.
Statement on the Hunger Strike of Dr. Salai Tun Than by his daughter Mai
Theingi Tun Than
Washington, April 28: Mai Theingi Tun Than, Daughter of Professor Dr.
Salai Tun Than appeals for moral support and encouragement for her
fatherās hunger strike, which he launched yesterday at the notorious
Insein Prison in Burma. Professor Dr. Salai Tun Than, 75 years old,
launched his campaign on April 27, inside the Insein Prison is a
courageous act of an academic, who is now languishing inside the
notorious prison, for exercising his basic human rights on 29 November
2001
That was a fateful day when the Professor staged a solo protest in front
of the Rangoon City Hall and distributed a petition calling for the Army
Generals to conduct a general election and hand over the power of the
state to the winning party. He was subsequently incarcerated and
sentenced for seven long years of imprisonment
Again the on Sunday, April 27, 2003, the 75-year old retired rector of
Yezin University, Burma, started a seven-day hunger strike from his bed
in Insein Prison Hospital, Rangoon.
Asian Tribune urges the international community to pray for the health
of the Gandhian Professor and pray that the common sense prevail in the
hearts and minds of the Army generals and they order their subordinates
in the prison treat him humanely.
The full text of the appeal made by Mai Theingi Tun Than, Daughter of
Professor Dr. Salai Tun Than, who is the only daughter who lives outside
Burma is given below:
Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to ask your support for my father, Dr.
Salai Tun Than, the retired rector of Yezin University, Burma, who is
currently serving a seven year prison sentence for staging a peaceful
one-man protest in front of the Rangoon City Hall building on November
29, 2001. My fatherās only Īcrimeā was to distribute a petition calling
for the government to hold a multiparty general election within one year
and to unconditionally transfer state power to the winning party. He has
been recognized by the Amnesty International as a prisoner of
conscience, and groups all over the world are campaigning for his
release.
On Sunday, April 27, 2003, my 75-year old father started a seven-day
hunger strike from his bed in Insein Prison Hospital, Rangoon. At grave
risk to his already frail health, he decided to go on a hunger strike to
draw attention to the inhumane conditions of his confinement, which
violate international human rights standards, and to protest his
inability to practice his religion while in prison.
The prison's inhumane conditions include the following:
Political prisoners are hooded when they are taken out even for going to
the toilet from their cells in the hospital.
Medical care and medical facilities in the prison hospital do not meet
even minimum basic standards for health, safety and hygiene.
Prison guards and Military Intelligence personnel monitor and record all
statements made by my father and other family members during the brief
periods when they are allowed to visit.
My father is routinely interrogated after his meetings with ICRC or UN
representatives, in violation of rules governing such visits.
Political prisoners at the prison hospital such as my father are
strictly forbidden to speak with the ordinary prisoners.
Many political prisoners have not yet been released even though they
have already served their prison terms. Some have been released, only to
be promptly re-arrested on spurious grounds.
Violations of religious freedom
My father has been denied possession of the Bible, that his family gave
to him, though he has been seeking permission for this more than a year.
His requests to receive Christian Holy Communion (with the help of
priest) inside the prison have been refused by prison authorities.
My father, Dr. Salai Tun Than, is currently suffering from severe health
problems, exacerbated by his advanced age and the inhumane conditions of
his imprisonment. Nevertheless, he is determined to carry out this
hunger strike in the knowledge that only international pressure will
ease his plight and that of other political prisoners in Burma.
As one of Dr. Salai Tun Thanās daughters, and the only one outside Burma
who has the freedom to draw attention to his plight, and as a Burmese
human rights activist, I urgently and sincerely request you and your
organization to support the cause of human rights in Burma by pressuring
the military regime to release Dr. Salai Tun Than and all the political
prisoners immediately and unconditionally.
I strongly urge that we all should work together in putting pressure on
the Burmese military regime, the State Peace and Development Council by
demanding the following actions:
1) To release Dr. Salai Tun Than and all political prisoners immediately
and unconditionally.
2) To stop all the human rights abuses done by Burmese military in Burma
3) To resume the true political Dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
leader of National League for Democracy for the benefit of Burmese
people.
I really need you and your organization's support and action on this
matter and please feel free to contact me for further concern.
Yours truly,
Mai Theingi Tun Than
Daughter of Dr. Salai Tun Than
Contact: Mai Theingi Tun Than
+1 (650) 991-0287
+1 (650) 255-0747
maitheingi@yahoo.com
Click Here to Sign the Petition for the Release of Thu Wai and Htwe Myint
