NLD Statement 55 translated

[nldburma@xxxxxxxxxxx]

National Leagur for Democracy
No:(97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan Township, Bahan

Statement No: 55 (4/99)


1.	On 19 March 1999, Daw Than Than Htay, a member of the National 
League for Democracy was admitted to the Thingangyun Sanpya(Model) 
Hospital for emergency surgery because of  ruptured appendix.

2.	On the evening of the 23 March 1999 at about 17:00 hours, an 
individual said to be Deputy Police Superintendent Thoung Naing, and 
one constable went to the hospital and accompanied by the doctor on 
duty for admission entered Daw Than Than Htay's room where doctors and 
nurses were present. He questioned the doctor in attendance about Daw 
Than Than Htay's address -- whether 18, South Dagon shown on the 
patient's medical record was correct or whether her place of residence 
was in Magwe Division.

3.	The doctor politely replied that because of the patient's 
critical ruptured appendix, an emergency operation had to be performed 
and it was against the ethics of the medical profession to discuss the 
private affairs of patients such as their names and addresses. 

4.	The said Deputy Superintendent repeated his question with an 
authoritative voice and claimed that he was a member of the police 
force. ( He was in mufti and not in police uniform). He then said that 
he wanted to know all about the patient, the operation, her medical 
condition while his companion (also in mufti) grabbed the patient's 
medical record out of the hands of the nurse who was in attendance and 
copied something from the record. Seizing the medical and personal 
details of a patient without the permission of the doctor in-charge 
amounts to a violation of the professional ethics of doctors and 
police and accordingly the doctor voices his objection. He said that 
the patient had undergone an emergency operation, and without 
reasonable cause he could not divulge the private and personal 
circumstances of his patient. Entering and demanding the private 
details of the patient in this fashion amounted to bullying and was 
intolerable. Then the said deputy superintendent stated that politics 
was involved. The doctor then replied that he needed legal and written 
authorisation.

5.	The said deputy superintendent's response was that since his 
duty was in relation to political criminals there was no need to 
produce identification cards. The doctor then replied that even if 
they could produce identification cards, and even if there is a 
presumption that a patient is a political prisoner, he could not 

divulge any details without authorisation from a court of law. The two 
men got very agitated and left at about 17:30 hours threatening to 
report the matter to the hospital superintendent.

6.	The term "political criminals" used by the said deputy 
superintendent Thoung Naing is defamatory and an insult to all the 
eminent politicians who have sacrificed their lives to obtain 
independence for their country and all political activists who are 
suffering in the struggle for the good of the country.

7.	The said deputy superintendent of police has acted in a manner 
that brings shame to the police force and lowers its prestige because 
he has insulted the people whose safety he has a duty to protect and 
abused the power and authority which has been entrusted in him. Not 
only did he fail to acknowledge the human rights of a hospitalised 
patient but also disrupted the doctor who was performing his duties 
and failed to observe his legal duties. We therefore urge the 
authorities to take appropriate action to prevent such wrong doing in 
the future.


Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
7 April 1999



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