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Tim Reid hears how a deal to free one campaigner angered the father of jailed James Mawdsley
Burma activists' families fall out
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| THE father of James
Mawdsley, the British pro-democracy activist serving a 17-year sentence in
a Burmese jail, launched a highly critical attack yesterday on the parents
of Rachel Goldwyn, a fellow activist released early from a Rangoon jail in
November.
David Mawdsley, who arrives in Burma today to visit his son in the notorious Kengtung prison, 400 miles northeast of the capital, spoke for the first time about the harm he believes that Ms Goldwyn and her parents have inflicted on the pro-democracy cause in Burma. Ms Goldwyn, 28, who was jailed in September for singing pro-democracy songs in the Burmese capital, was released from Rangoon's Insein jail after striking a deal with the military regime. She served only two months of a seven-year sentence. On the day that she returned to Britain, she announced that she intended to return to Burma to co-operate with its military regime on its "counter-narcotics" operations, a deal brokered by her parents, Edward and Charmian, during meetings with Rangoon officials. It included Ms Goldwyn signing an undertaking not to continue indulging in political protest in Burma. By contrast, James Mawdsley, 26, who shares a cell with rats, toads and bats, and two guards permanently noting down his every move, has refused to negotiate his way out of prison, and has not even appealed against his sentence. "The Goldwyns fell into the biggest propaganda trap ever set," Mr Mawdsley said. "What Rachel said on her return harmed the cause. When she got off the plane with her parents she was under incredible pressure and her parents more or less gave their views of what to do in Burma. "I have spoken to Mr Goldwyn. He has been round here and met my ex-wife and myself, and I told him that he was misguided, that he is wrong. "Rachel was totally exhausted when she got back and I think they more or less persuaded her to come out with views that she did not believe and I think she has tried to rectify that since." James, a committed Roman Catholic, only became involved in Burmese politics four years ago. After getting five A grades in his A levels at school in Lancashire, he went to Bristol University to study maths and physics, but soon became bored and dropped out. While backpacking in New Zealand he met a group of refugees from Burma who told him of their experiences of rape and repression at the hands of the ruling military junta. The Mawdsleys were last together as a family in Devizes, Wiltshire, on July 24, at the wedding of James's brother Jeremy, an Army captain. James, who was best man, had just announced that he was returning to Burma - and almost certain imprisonment. He had already been arrested twice in Burma on previous visits, and the second time, in 1998, he had been sent to Insein after being tortured for 15 hours. He was caught handing out stickers and playing pro-democracy songs on a tape recorder. Sentenced to five years, he served 99 days in solitary confinement in an 8ft by 6ft cell, suffering scabies and ear infections, before being deported. For his last visit, Mr Mawdsley drove his son to Heathrow airport. On August 31, three days later, James was caught distributing pro-democracy leaflets in the northeastern town of Tachilek. At his trial on September 1, he was convicted of illegal entry and sedition. "For quite some time I discussed at length with him different ways of doing it. We all knew what he was going to do. But James is a very determined, honest, decent young man. Once I realised he wasn't going to be dissuaded, I went with him and supported him all along." James, who gets 20 minutes' exercise a day out of his tiny cell, completed a one-week hunger strike on December 23 over the treatment of fellow prisoners. "He has made absolutely no concessions," Mr Mawdsley said. "The jail authorities are in absolute fear of James. He is so positive, so strong, and I am so proud of him. "People ask me and Diana [James's mother, who is divorced from his father], isn't James being selfish putting us through this? Well, the regime disgusts me. They have committed murder. They have committed genocide. They torture people. There are 45 million Burmese who are living their lives in fear. James is willing to put his life on the line to raise people's awareness." Ms Goldwyn told The Times last night: "I was in a confused state when I got back to Heathrow. Generally, the Burmese community worldwide have been really understanding of what I've been through. I have no intention of returning myself." | |