HARSH INVESTIGATION BEING HELD IN I

[lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: HARSH INVESTIGATION BEING HELD IN INSEIN PRISON

          _____________________________________________________
                                  ABSDF
                  ALL BURMA STUDENTS' DEMOCRATIC FRONT
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                              PRESS RELEASE
                              -------------
                                                     Date: December 26, 1995

             Harsh investigation being held in Insein Prison
             ------------------------------------------------ 

Professor Yozo Yokota gave the Slorc a copy of his report on
Burma that was submitted in the recent UNHCR meeting in
Geneva.

Regarding the letters written by political prisoners which
were clandestinely sent to Professor Yozo Yokota, UN
rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in Burma,
Slorc began a very brutal investigation into the case and have
been interrogating the prisoners in Insein Prison. Slorc would
like to find out which prisoners wrote the letters and who
helped them to send the letters out of the prison. 

Water and food supplies have been denied during the
interrogation period since mid November. Prisoners were forced
to sleep on the concrete ground without mats or blankets. The
prisoners under interrogation were kept in the 'military dog
cells' which were tightly shut so that nobody could get access
to them. Permission to meet the prisoners has been refused
since the middle of November.

Among the prisoners Saw Nai Nai (elected representative from
Pazun Daung township in Rangoon Division), Mon Ywer Tin Shwe
were severely interrogated. In Insein Prison, U Win Tin's
health condition is bad. He is suffering from spondylitis.

The condition of political prisoners in Insein Prison is very
bad at the moment. U Win Tin (member of Secretariat of the
NLD), Myo Myint Nyein, Dr. Myint Naing (elected representative
from the NLD), Mon Ywar Tin Shwe (elected representative from
the NLD) and Saw Nai Nai (elected representative from Pazun
Daung township in Rangoon Division) were moved into the
Military Dog Cells. 
 
23 senior Burma politicians, including Bo Hmu Aung(Thirty
Comrade), Dr. Maung Maung Kyaw, Wi Du Ra Chit Maung and
Thakhin Khin Aung, have sent a joint letter to the Slorc
urging them to start a dialogue. Many students inside also
demanded in letters to the Slorc that they start a dialogue
with Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic leaders.

U Tin Oo, Vice Chairman of the NLD has many times asked the
Slorc to release all political prisoners. But there has been
no response yet. 

The Slorc started to take measures against the crowds of
supporters that were gathering every weekend outside Suu Kyi's
home. Three students who were working with Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi after her release and asked the gate authorities to move
the barbed wire strands were also arrested on November 24 and
sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Despite the barbed wire,
increased security and the arrests of the students, over 5,000
people gathered that weekend to hear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
speak.

U Sein Hla Aung of Mandalay who distributed the NLD Video
tapes was also arrested very recently. Khun Myint Tun, Tin Tun
Oo (both youth members of NLD), Saw Tin Win (Central committee
member of NLD), and Mann Htay Shein were arrested even more
recently for taking Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to a Karen new year
festival in Rangoon.

It is seems to be that the Slorc's plan is to first crush the
supporters of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and her later. The Slorc
is aware of the public relations boost the release of Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi has given them, and they will not throw this away
by re-arresting her immediately. Instead, they will cut off
her support base and try to marginalise her. Harassing and
arresting her supporters and party members is one way to do
this.

The current situation in Rangoon is very tense. It seems
inevitable that if there is no progress or dialogue with the
Slorc, there will finally be some kind of confrontation
between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's supporters and the authorities.
The authorities have started this confrontation already, by
arresting NLD members and supporters.
 

Increased Gatherings
--------------------
After the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the gathering in
front of her residence has now increased to up to 6,000. The
gathering had only 100 people on the day after her release. 
Among the people gathering outside her gate, most are
intellectuals, monks, nuns and foreigners.


Assistance to the political prisoners
-------------------------------------
The NLD has established a Social Aid Committee and provides
assistance to political prisoners.





[Information provided by sources in Rangoon and the NCGUB]