Urgent Action 19 detainees Pegu

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PUBLIC	AI Index: ASA 16/19/99

UA 183/99	Possible prisoners of conscience/fear of torture	27 July 1999

MYANMAR	Thaint Wunna Khin (f), aged 3
		Ma Khin Khin Leh, 33, her mother
		U Aye Swe, aged 55
		Daw Tin Tin, 50, his wife
		Kyaw Kyaw Oo, 33, their son
		U Zaw Myint, aged 49
		Daw Tint Tint, his wife, 47
		Ko Zaw Zaw Latt, their son, 20
		U Ba Chit, 48
		U Ye Tint, teacher, 45
		U Win Myint, 45, shopkeeper
		Dr. Shwe Bo (f), 45, medical doctor
		Ma Thida Htway (f), 27, teacher
		Ko Lwin Moe Myint, 27, student activist
		Ko Myint Oo, 30, market vendor
		Ko Ah Thay Lay, 21, student
		Ko Hla Win, 23, student
		Two unnamed female physicians in their mid 40s


Amnesty International considers the 19 people listed above, who were
arrested between 19 and 23 July 1999, in Pegu, central Myanmar to be
possible prisoners of conscience. They are also at risk of torture and
ill-treatment. One of those arrested, Thaint Wunna Khin, is three years
old, and the organization is particularly concerned about her health.
  
Kyaw Wunna and other pro-democracy activists in Pegu were reportedly
planning a march on 19 July, Martyrs' Day, the 52nd anniversary of the
assassination of General Aung San. General Aung San, who fought for
independence from the British, was the father of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD). Between 16 and 18 July,
pamphlets were distributed announcing the march and messages were
spray-painted on walls in Pegu calling for support for the NLD, prices to
be lowered, and civil servants' salaries to be raised. 

When the local Military Intelligence (MI) could not locate Kyaw Wunna, they
arrested his three-year-old daughter Thaint Wunna Khin and wife Ma Khin
Khin Leh on 19 July, and six more of his family on 23 July. A further 11
people who distributed pamphlets were arrested between 19 and 24 July. The
local branch of MI, MI3, is believed to be interrogating all 19 people at
several locations.  


Detainees, especially students and young people, are frequently tortured
and ill-treated in Myanmar's detention centres, particularly in the early
stages of detention.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The NLD won almost 82% of the seats in the 1990 general election, but have
never been permitted to form a government. Instead, hundreds of NLD members
of parliament-elect and other NLD activists were arrested and sentenced to
long terms of imprisonment. Although many have been released since April
1992, hundreds of others have been arrested, particularly since the NLD
became more active after the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house
arrest in July 1995. The NLD has always advocated non-violent political
activities and has opposed the use of violence.

In June 1998 the NLD called on Myanmar's military government, the State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC), to convene the parliament elected in
May 1990. When the SPDC failed to do so by August 1998, the NLD announced
that they would convene it themselves. In order to prevent the NLD from
convening parliament, beginning in early September 1998 the SPDC arrested
hundreds of NLD MPs-elect and other NLD officials and kept them in
"Government Guesthouses" without charge or trial. The NLD also announced
the formation of a 10-member Committee Representing the People's Parliament
(CRPP), which the SPDC has demanded be dissolved. An unknown number of NLD
activists arrested in September 1998 are still detained.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail
letters in English or your own language:
- urging the SPDC to immediately and unconditionally release three-year-old
Thaint Wunna Khin and her mother Ma Khin Khin Leh;
- urging the SPDC to immediately and unconditionally release the other 17
political activists, or charge them with a recognizably criminal offence;
- urging the SPDC to ensure that those detained are not tortured or
ill-treated, and that they all have immediate access to their families,
lawyers, and proper medical care.

APPEALS TO:
Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, Secretary 1
State Peace and Development Council
c/o Director of Defence Services Intelligence (DDSI)
Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road
Dagon Post Office
Yangon 
Union of Myanmar
Telegrams: General Khin Nyunt, Yangon, Myanmar
Telexes: 21316
Faxes: +95 1 229 50
Salutation: Dear General

Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman
State Peace and Development Council
c/o Director of Defence Services Intelligence (DDSI)
Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road
Dagon Post Office
Yangon 
Union of Myanmar
Telegrams: General Than Shwe, Yangon, Myanmar
Telexes: 21316
Salutation: Dear General

COPIES TO:
diplomatic representatives of Myanmar accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 7 September 1999.