In the year 2000 there remained an estimated 2,500 political prisoners in Burma’s notorious jails. (Amnesty International and other international NGOs estimated this number to be 1,600) These individuals were being held in various prisons across Burma, suffering as a consequence of their involvement in the Burmese struggle for freedom and democracy. The living and social conditions of these political prisoners are grim and deteriorating daily. As has been the practice of the military regime since its beginnings, the SPDC allowed no person to oppose their authoritarian rule, and maintained an extensive network of MIS, police and government officials ready to detain anyone suspected of such dissent. The military in Burma has established and enforced laws curtailing civil and political freedom and utilized laws that allow it to crush any political opposition. The SPDC’s laws and regulations criminalize freedom of thought, the dissemination of information and the right of association and assembly. The most commonly employed laws banning the demonstration of civil and political rights have been the 1923 Government’s Official Secrets Act, the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act, the 1957 Unlawful Associations Act, the 1962 Printers’ and Publishers’ Registration Law, the 1975 State Protection Law, Law No. 5/96. These laws and orders have restricted the civil and political rights of Burmese citizens for years; now, with technological advances available across the globe, new laws have been enacted in order to provide the SPDC authorities additional legal bases to curtail freedom of expression and the exchange of information. For more information on these laws, please refer to the chapters on the freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly and association.

The year 2000, which saw a stepped up campaign to destroy the opposition political party NLD, met with numerous arrests of NLD members. In the months of April and May alone there were 145 members of the NLD who were arbitrarily detained and interrogated. Several of them were then sentenced to years in prison, without a fair or public trial. In August and September 2000 the SPDC twice refused Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the NLD to travel outside of Rangoon. Both times the SPDC ended the travel attempts by arresting large numbers of NLD members, and by placing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and top members of the NLD under house arrest. In fact, at the time of the final writing of this yearbook in May 2001, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo, and U Aung Shwe remained under house arrest. The SPDC also continued to arrest and imprison student activists, claiming through the State run media that the arrested young people had been imprisoned for attempted terrorist activities. In May 2000 several monks were arrested following reports of a planned strike.

SPDC personnel also continued to arbitrarily detain persons across Burma for illegal association with groups seen as anti-government. In areas of ethnic insurgency these detentions were common and in most cases the people suspected of such illegal association were seized, detained and interrogated, sometimes tortured without warrant or evidence against them. There were also numerous cases reported in the year 2000 of individuals who disappeared following arrest and detention.

In addition to individuals arrested for political reasons, SPDC officials continued to arbitrarily arrest and detain people for "crimes" such as failure to pay army taxes or to sell the required crop quota to the government purchasing centers. Many farmers were arrested in the year 2000 under such circumstances. These farmers were detained, without trial, until the required quota was met. The SPDC also arrested Muslim minority people for various reasons. Many of the people who were reported to have been arbitrarily detained were released following payment of fines set by the official who arrested them. This portrays the extent to which corruption exists within Burma. Indeed, SPDC troops and officials often arrest people for no other reason then to bribe money from them. Many Burmese citizens deported by Thai authorities in 2000 were arrested and forced to pay high fees for "illegally leaving the country", or else face imprisonment or forced labor.

Although remnants of the British-era legal system are formally in plaice in Burma, the court system and its operation remain seriously flawed, particularly in the handling of political cases. In 1975 the State Protection Act was passed by the BSPP in order to protect the state from potentially destructive elements. It is directly controlled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Article 10(a) of this act allows for an individual to be detained for up to three years without a trial. This means that political prisoners in detainment are denied the rights given to sentenced prisoners and are therefore often subjected to extraordinarily repressive measures. For example, under article 10(a) a detainee can be denied visiting privileges and may be put into solitary confinement. If the military regime believes a prisoner to be a threat to the state, after that prisoner has served his/her sentence under article 10(a) he/she can be immediately re-detained.

Throughout 2000, the SPDC continued to rule by decree and was not bound by any constitutional provision providing for fair trials or any other rights. Not only have the people charged under the various law and military decrees been consistently denied fair trials and the due process of law, but also the judicial system itself has been emasculated over the years.

SPDC appoints the Judges of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court selects judges for the lower courts, but requires the approval of SPDC authorities. The Supreme Court is further in charge of supervising the lower courts. The Judiciary Law does not contain any provisions on the security of tenure of judges and their protection from arbitrary removal, thus leaving such issues entirely in the hands of the SPDC and, what is worse, without any guarantees provided by law by which the SPDC is bound.

In addition to the SPDC’s unrestricted power in the appointment of judges, the courts are powerless to protect the rights of victims of oppression. This is so because a great number of decrees have been promulgated by the SPDC for the purpose of repressing political activity and the freedoms of thought, expression, association and movement, among others. Moreover, emergency laws are still resorted to. The courts have no jurisdiction to challenge or to discard this repressive legal arsenal.

Unprofessional behavior by some court officials, the use of overly broad laws — including the Emergency provisions Act of 1950, the Unlawful Associations Act, the Habitual Offenders Act, and the Law on Safeguarding the State from the danger of Destructionists — and the manipulation of the courts for political ends continue to deprive citizens of the right to a fair trial and the rule of law.

Some basic due process rights, including the right to a public trial and to be represented by a defense attorney are generally respected, except in political cases that the authorities deem especially sensitive. Without the permission of the intelligence organs, judges cannot even let the family and counsel of the accused know what sentence has been passed. In many cases, the accused is kept in ignorance of the section of law under which he is charged. There have been reported instances where Military Intelligence has passed sentences orally at the time of arrest, before any trial had taken place. More often than not trials are held on camera. Defendants with political charges are given little chance to speak during the trial, let alone present a proper defense. Even where they manage to make a statement, the judges pay no heed to it. Prior to being charged, detainees rarely have access to legal counsel or their families and political detainees have no opportunity to obtain release on bail. In most political cases, trials are held in courtrooms on prison compounds and are not open to the public. In these instances, defense counsel appears to serve no purpose other than to provide moral support, since reliable reports indicate that verdicts are dictated by higher authorities. Political detainees are held incommunicado for long periods. Even after being charged, detainees rarely have benefit of counsel.

There are 36 prisons in Burma, and of them, 20 detain the estimated 2,500 political prisoners. All prisons have been places of numerous violations of human dignity and brutal harassment. Conditions of detention in prison remain deplorable, and fall far short of international standards such as the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners and the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons Under Any forms of Detention or Imprisonment. In fact, conditions of detention fall short of even established laws in Burma. Under the current conditions of the military junta, political prisoners have been denied the rights entitled to them outlined in the Union of Myanmar Prison Manual. Furthermore, these prisoners are often subjected to extra prohibitive and repressive measures not mentioned in the prison manual. For example, every prisoner has the right to parole. Chapter 11, article 59[5] of the Union of Myanmar Prison Manual states; ‘A prisoner who has acted in accordance with prison regulation has the right to parole at least 60, 70 or 90 days a year.’

In May 1999 the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that it had begun to visit prisons in Myanmar. In March 2000 the ICRC also began visiting labor camps, where convicted criminals have been held in extremely poor conditions. In addition the ICRC has reported that they have been able to visit prisoners held in government guesthouses, where NLD members have been detained without charge or trial since the party’s announcement in September 1998 that they would convene parliament unilaterally. Yet despite this international monitoring of conditions in Burmese prisons, maltreatment of prisoners continued to be reported in the year 2000. These abuses include torture, prolonged shackling, lack of proper medical care, and insufficient food. (For more information on torture of prisoners, see relevant chapter on torture)

Prisoners were also subjected to severe overcrowding, conditions that by themselves constitute cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in other parts of the world. It is standard in prisons throughout Burma for 3 or 4 prisoners to be held in small cells measuring 8 by 12 feet (2.6 by 3 meters) for more than 20 hours a day. They are fed an inadequate diet of a thin bean soup or vegetables, sometimes supplemented with a small piece of fish only once a week. In Thayet prison, Magwe Division, where there are a total of 74 political prisoners, 3 persons are placed in each of the cells measuring 12' x 8' where they sleep, eat, and defecate. These conditions are most inhuman and a danger to health of the prisoners which has resulted in the sickness and death of some.

Medical treatment is rarely provided and then only when a prison’s illness has reached a severe stage. The most common diseases among the prisoners are: gastrointestinal diseases (amoebic dysentery, bacillary dysentery and diarrhea), jaundice (viral and amoebic hepatitis), AIDS and skin diseases. Conditions in prison allow for the easy transmission of these diseases due to poor sanitation, unclean and semi-cooked food, dirty kitchens, polluted surroundings, and lack of personal hygiene (particularly because of poor water supplies).

Political prisoners who peacefully complain about the abuses and ill treatments of the prison officials and ask for redressing are given both severe punishments and additional prison terms. Political prisoners are not allowed to communicate with one another. In addition, they are only allowed to meet with their families after they have been sentenced. Apart from the political prisoners who are put in the solitary confinement, an unknown number are forced to perform hard labor in their respective prisons on a daily basis.

As a result of the poor food and medical care conditions, prisoners absolutely depend on the support of their families for the preservation of their lives. Some political prisoners have died from the lack of essential assistance such as medicine and nutritious food. The SPDC intentionally tries to break the spirit of political prisoners down by sending them to the remote prisons far away from their families where they suffer psychological and often physical misery from the lack of support from their family. Meanwhile the MI and local authorities of the SPDC regularly intimidate and persecute the family members of political prisoners. The MI frequently confiscates the belongings of the families of political prisoners. They also harass the economic, social and educational lives of the family members of political prisoners. In most cases the family members lose their jobs, so that in the end they find it very hard to provide regular support for their imprisoned family member. They even can not afford the transportation costs to visit their imprisoned relatives. In many cases, as the political prisoners used to be the breadwinners of their families, many families that are left outside can not afford to assist them for a long time.

Moreover, the political prisoners meet even further bitter situations when they are released from prison. The SPDC intimidates and harasses the former political prisoners using all available means, although they have finished their prison terms, to ensure that they can not resume their political activities. When extraordinarily sensitive occasions take place in Burma such as anniversary dates, the former political prisoners are usually detained and interrogated for unlimited periods without reason. The SPDC also utilizes many different ways to isolate them from society. The main weapons of the SPDC to marginalize the former political prisoners are to outcast them from economic and educational opportunities.

An Arakanese man who had saved his money working as an illegal immigrant in Thailand, was arrested in Kawt Thaung (Victoria Point) by the Burmese Military Intelligence No. (19) on his way back home to Arakan state. Military intelligence officer Kyaw Win arrested him and confiscated all his belongings. He was interrogated and tortured while he was in the military intelligence’s cellar. He was kicked, beaten, and burnt with cigarette light by military intelligence officers Khin Lwin, Kyi Win, and Corporal. Kyaw Naing. He was later charged with a political act and sentenced to four years imprisonment in Mergui jail even though he had no connection what so ever with political activities.

Upon his release, he reported that the condition in the Mergui prison was so harsh and unbearable. They were treated inhumanly. Very small amount of foods were given and no proper medication was provided for diseases. He said that many prisoners were succumbed to death by diseases and inhumane treatments. He reported that Mergui prison was overcrowded with more than 3000 prisoners prison when he was there. (Source: Yoma3)

This prison is considered to be among the worst in Burma concerning medical services and treatment of prisoners. A number of political prisoners have died because of 1) severe torture; 2) insufficient food; and 3) insufficient medical treatment. There is a prison clinic, but there is no medicine. Families of ill prisoners must purchase medicine outside of the prison and deliver it to the clinic. Prisoners whose families lack financial resources to pay for medicine are unable to receive treatment. (Source: AAPP)

There are over 1000 inmates, including both criminals and political prisoners, in Thayetmyo jail, Magwe Division. The odor that pervades the jail is almost as bad as in Insein jail. The SPDC jail authorities fail to comply with the requirements of the Prisons Act and deliberately mistreat, torture and persecute the prisoners. Everyday all but 105 are required to do hard labor. This includes drawing and carrying water without a break, taungya cultivation, carpentry work, chopping and cutting wood, and all kinds of cleaning. NLD member, U Pa Lay from Taungdwingyi township (Magwe division) has suffered very harsh treatment.  He originally suffered from a back complaint and has been made to draw water continuously which has aggravated his ailment.

The prisoners are woken up at 3:30 a.m. and forced to skin pe gji (lablab bean). Each prisoner has to skin between one and a half and two pyis (a pyi is a unit of grain measurement equivalent to 8 condensed milk tins.)  Punishment is given to those who refuse. For example, a respected NLD Pyithu Hluttaw representative from Mingun township, Magwe division, who is over 70 years old, was punished for not skinning beans.  Similarly, the elderly NLD Pyithu Hluttaw representative of Myothit township was forced to skin beans. The revenue for skinning these beans (ten kyats for one pyi), which are sold to private individuals in the business of making fried beans, has been pocketed by the SPDC Thayetmyo jail authorities.

In addition to this, the health care provided to the prisoners is not adequate. Even though medicine has been donated by the International Red Cross for use in the Thayetmyo jail, the prisoners are not given it.  There is no jail doctor as such and no adequate medical attention. Though the rule is that prisoners should be medically examined once a month, in practice they are examined every 2 months. The jail authorities fail to issue the full quantity of medicines prescribed by the doctor to some prisoners.  When the families of some prisoners offer to buy the required medicines the doctor refuses them a prescription.

Those convicted of crimes are often given better treatment in the jails than political prisoners. Though religious literature was permitted in the middle of 1999, presently no books brought by families of the inmates are allowed.  Also, English language literature is completely banned. Those who were forcefully removed from Insein jail in July 2000  for no offences on their part and sent to other places were not allowed visitation by their families for over a month. Seven NLD members from Taungdwingyi township who were charged under Section 5(j) and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment were not allowed family visitation for over two months. (Source: NLD)

Mandalay prison

Over 7,000 prisoners were at Mandalay prison. The prison shape is a circle and double walled. There were buildings for male and female prisoners, child prisoners, 5-J (political prisoners), hospital and workshop. Also there were 15 special cells (single and double rooms) for disobedient prisoners, political prisoners, mentally ill prisoners and patients who were infected with communicable diseases. There were many VD and HIV positive patients as well as some leprosy patients and many of those prisoners were made to stay together. The ward number (4) of the prison hospital also had more than (40) VD and HIV positive patients. The hospital did not use disposable syringes needles. All the buildings were too crowded with prisoners. Water was insufficient, pieces of soap provided were too small and food also was insufficient and dirty. Mandalay prisoners had to work at vegetable farms fertilized by faeces and urine; weaving, wood carving and typing (for the prison office) all the work was unpaid. (Source: FTUB)

Pahukku prison

There were over 700 prisoners (300 male and 400 female). All were sentenced under 10 years of imprisonment. Political Prisoners and prisoners sentenced to terms of over 10 years were sent to Myingyan prison. Most of the prisoners were drug addicts and sellers. Food provided in the prison were bean soup and fish paste for lunch and vegetable soup for dinner. On every Monday, there was dried fish curry. In that prison, prisoners had to work joss sticks and to peel beans (for a local fried bean merchant). Prisoners were not paid for their work. In the beginning of April, 2000, thirty prisoners from Pahukku were sent to Meikhtila prison and waited for 45 days to go to Won-saung (prisoner porter recruiting) Camp. (Source: FTUB)

The health condition of Burma’s prominent student leader, Min Ko Naing is reportedly deteriorating day by day and it was confirmed in early 2001 that he is now suffering from paralysis. Min Ko Naing alias Paw U Tun, Chairman of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), was arrested on 24 March 1989. He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment (later commuted to 10 years under a general amnesty, but he has not been released) for his anti-government activities. He was initially detained in solitary confinement in Insein Prison in Rangoon but has been regularly moved from one prison to another and currently he is being held in Sittwe Prison, still in solitary confinement. 

According to London-based Amnesty International, Min Ko Naing was reportedly severely tortured and ill treated during the early stages of his detention and his health has suffered as a consequence. In 1993, a United States Congressman visited him in Insein Prison and he was said to be in poor health and appeared disoriented.  In November 1994 the Special Rapporteur on Burma was also allowed to visit him briefly in Insein Prison, and described him as being nervous and thin.  (Source: Mizzima)

Case of Daw San San Nwe

In December 2000 an arm of Amnesty International appealed for the release of Burmese writer Daw San San Nwe, who is serving a 10-year sentence in Rangoon, so that she can be treated for very worrying health problems. Daw San San Nwe is suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease and hemilegia on the right side, and prison officials have repeatedly denied her the medical attention she needs. San San Nwe was sentenced on October 6, 1994 to 10 Years in jail and is now at Insein prison. She allegedly had met two visiting French reporters in April 1993 and appeared in video they produced. Her daughter, Ma Myat Mo Mo Tun, was arrested in the same year after allegedly contributing articles to a journal published by expatriate Burmese.

U Soe Thein, a journalist and MP for the National League for Democracy was admitted, during the third week of September 2000, to the intensive care service of the general hospital of Rangoon. The authorities sent him to hospital only after he had had a heart attack in his cell. According to his family, he is close to death. The stomach disease from which he suffers is also worse. In July 1997, Soe Thein had a first heart attack. The authorities refused to treat him. Since the confiscation of the elections in May 1990 by the army, three journalists have died in detention. 55 years old, Soe Thein has been detained in the Insein jail since May 1996. The authorities accused him of writing texts about "peaceful resistance" for the NLD. He was jailed by virtue of Article 10 of the State Protection Law which provides for indefinite periods of detention without trial. Soe Thein was editor of the official newspaper Botahtaung before being dismissed in 1988 because of his support for the democratic movement. He also published a magazine Ah-Twe-Ah-Myin (The Thought) until November 1990 when he was arrested a first time. (Source: RSF)

In  1990,  U Tun  Aung   Kyaw, (or) Thakhin Mipwar, age 50  was  arrested and sentenced for the first time to five years imprisonment including hard labor. Since that time he has been suffering from tuberculosis . He had therefore visited the jail hospital many times. He was released at the end of 1994.

After being released, although  he treated his disease as much as he could, he could not use too much money. As a result his health became worse and worse. He still continued, secretly, to be involved in political movements in accordance with his belief in Democracy and Human Rights. Unfortunately, military intelligence men raided the Hospital he was visiting in 1997 and detained U Tun Aung Kyaw. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment including hard labor, under the 5/J law. In the jail hospital, there is not enough medicine, and specialist doctors are not regularly available. Therefore it is very important for him to visit specialist outside of the prison. However military intelligence will not allow this. They give the excuse of security concerns. (Source: AAPP)

U Ohn Kyaw , over 70 years old from Shwe Taung Township, Pegu Division, is suffering from heart failure and hypertension, resulting in near paralysis. He is currently serving his sentence in a solitary confinement cell, and has not been admitted to the prison clinic. It is believed that he will die if he does not receive immediate treatment at a hospital outside of the prison. He was sentenced in 1998 to 7 years imprisonment under Section 5/J. He is currently in Myingyan prison. U Oh Kyaw is a retired township education administrator. Two of his sons are political activists working with DPNS. One is a Central Committee Member on the Thai-Burma border, and the other is currently in prison inside Burma. U Ohn Kyaw is not an activist. At the time of his arrest he was running a book rental shop that was popular with young people. We (AAPP) believe he was arrested because of the involvement of his sons in DPNS. His family has been unable to provide regular medical supplies because of their financial situation and because the prison is located far away from their home. (Source: AAPP)

On April 30, 2000 U Aung Gyaw, one of four vehicle owners who had been illegally arrested on April 25, 2000 in Taung-tha, Mandalay Division as a result of an appeal they had made concerning the forced labor of their vehicles, died in custody in the Taung-tha Police Station. He had been suffering from High Blood Pressure and fell seriouly ill while under arrest. Early on April 30 he asked for medical attention but was refused by the Police in charge of the station. He then fell suddenly giddy, collapsed, then died. (Source: NLD)

On June 29 2000, a female Muslim political prisoner, Daw Htey Myint (40 years) of Myittila, Mandalay Division died of fever in Moulmein central jail. She had not received any medical treatment during her a month-long illness. On June 12 1998, she was transferred from Myittila jail to Moulmein jail. According to a relative of the victims, on June 2 2000, one U Tun Khaing (40 years) and Daw Aye Myint (35 years) died after doing hard labor, from insufficient food and inadequate medical treatments in the same jail. Both of them were from Papun Township of Karen state, Burma. (Source: MICB)

On July 1, 2000, Dr. Thein Lwin, was given an extended sentence at the instigation of Sergeant Tin Aye of Meiktila Military Intelligence No 15 under section 5-J of the law. He has been incarcerated since September 6, 1998 when the SPDC took into custody Hluttaw representatives and kept them imprisoned, saying that they are being kept in "guesthouses for the purposes of discussions." Neither they or their families have been given a reason for their detentions. (Source: NLD/CRPP)

On January 3 2000 Maung Moe Thu, alias U Sein Myint, former CEC member of the NLD, movie director and writer was released from detention. He had also been a journalist for the economic magazine Danna. He had been arrested in May 1996, under Article 10 (a) of the State Protection Law of 1975, after participating in an NLD rally. He was arrested along with U Kyaw Min, architect; U Win Htein, former captain and personal aide of Aung San Suu Kyi; Sayar Maung Wun Tha; and Sayar U Thein Tin, NLD organizer for Yangon [Rangoon] Division. (Architect U Kyaw Min and U Thein Tin have died.) Sayar [honorific] Maung Moe Thu had been imprisoned in Insein Jail without trial and was reported to be in poor health at the time of his release. According to the Burmese authorities, Moe Thu, 62 years old, was freed on humanitarian grounds, following the December 1999 death of his wife. (Source: DVB)

On June 6 2000, 4 NLD MPs arrested in mid May were released. They are:

-Hla Htun from Kyemyintdine
-Aung Zaw from Dagon
-Dr. Than Win from N-okkala
- Dr. Sein Win from Seikkyi. (Source: Yandu)

On October 5 2000, a total of eight NLD members were released after they were made to sign pledges that they would no longer engage in politics.  Those released are:

 

Release of James Mawdsley

In mid October 2000, after 415 days of solitary confinement in Kengtung Prison, James Mawdsley was released and flown back to London, England. He had been sentenced to a 17-year prison term in September 1999 under Section (13/1) of the Immigration law and Section (17) of the 1962 Printers’ and Publishers’ Registration Law. He had been arrested on August 31, 1999 for distributing leaflets in Tachilek Township, Shan State. He was released shortly after the heavy international criticism that had come in response a severe beating he had received from prison guards. (Source: HRDU)

On October 17 2000, the SPDC released six elderly political prisoners following a special request by UN special envoy Razali Ismail.  The six prisoners, 5 of them NLD members, were released from jails in Yangon, Mandalay and the south of the country. The prisoners had been serving sentences of between two to14 years.   The six, whose ages ranged from 53 to 77, had been jailed for threatening the security of the state, and most had been jailed at Insein Prison.

U Aung Thein, 72,
U Ohn Gyaw, 69,
U Aye Myint, 55,
U Sein Win, 75,
U Thaung Myint, 75, and
U Chein Poe, 77 (Source: AAPP)

In December 2000 U Than Htun was released from house arrest. (Source: HRDU)

Ma Thida Htwe, or Ma Thu Zar, age 28, was sentenced to life imprisonment on December 3, 1999 for violations of the 5-J and 17/1 emergency provisions acts. She was born to U Tin Htwe and Daw San Kyi in Phyu Township, Bago Division, and has 5 siblings. Her father died when Thu Zar was a young age. In 1990, intending to complete 10th Standard, she was forced to take time off due in order to support her family during their financially difficult times. In 1991 and in 1992, still unable to attend school, she took the completion exams from her home; both times, because of the pressures of holding a job, studying, and maintaining the home, she was working so hard to support herself and her family that she failed. Finally, in 1993, she passed 10th Standard.

Thuza moved north to Phyu Township to live and work with her aunt. In 1995 she began with her first year of the distance university program from Bago College, majoring in Burmese. She studied and worked for her aunt during the day, soon completing her distance education. She applied for a teaching position in Pate, a village eight miles away. During the week, she worked as a kindergarten teacher, and on the weekends, she returned to her aunt’s residence to earn some extra income. However, the 50 kyat income wasn’t enough to sustain herself and her mother and sisters, so in the night she worked in a cheroot (Burmese cigarettes) rolling factory. Thuza has an older brother, who also tried to send money home to the family since their father had died when she was young, and her mother needed all the support she could get to raise her five children. Friends reported that she was often ill and suffered from headaches, but she continued to work for her family. In 1995, Thuza attempted to begin a grassroots campaign and to collect information in her small village, a daunting task which she did as best she could. In 1997, after a one-year closure of all Universities/Colleges inside Burma, only the distance education programs were re-opened, at which time Thida Htwe began her second year studying Burmese. In 1998, she took the third year examination, but her health was poor, and she failed the test. All throughout this time, as she studied and worked for her family, she showed great interest in the political situation in Burma, actively becoming involved in the democracy movement.

In February 1999, she arrived in Mae Sod, Thailand where she remained for a month of intensive political training in political defiance and women’s affairs. During her political training she also had many discussions with other activists in the local organizations. She used to express to them a Burmese metaphor, "When we meet the people, we should treat them like cows (with respect, for they are the key to a family’s farm), and when we are faced with the enemy, we should treat them like a lion (with strength and courage)." Traveling to the border and working with other activists, most of whom were men, was a very difficult task for a woman like Thuza to undertake. Despite the obvious improvement in lifestyle that Thailand offered, Thuza never considered staying, "She wanted to go back because she knew there weren’t many activists inside Burma. She believed that one should work for the struggle and work for her family. She knew that when she went back to Burma, she would be a leader of the women," says Thein Win, a colleague and friend.

In the summer of 1999, leading up to the ‘9999’ planned demonstrations, Thida Htwe was actively involved in organizing the activities in Ago Township, including the 19 July Martyr’s Day demonstration. As a result of her activities, Ago Military Intelligence #3 arrested her on July 23, 1999. They accused her of being connected to ABSDF, and therefore on December 3, 1999, the Military Government sentenced Thida Htwe to life in prison.
Thud’s imprisonment has affected her family since she was a major provider for the family’s income and supporter of her sisters’ education. One of her sister’s scholarships to study abroad was revoked after Thud’s arrest. Her detainment also led the MI to investigate her older brother’s activities. He was later arrested to 29 years imprisonment. The decline in the families’ income also unfortunately made it nearly impossible to provide any aid to Thuza while she was in prison. They simply can not afford to visit her. Without additional food and medicine in prison, it is certain that she is suffering physically. One message did manage to reach her family through the variety of connections that exist between prisoners and activists. She conveyed to her family "Don’t worry about me. I realize that you have more difficulties outside of prison, and I am sorry for that……..I will continue to carry out my duty in prison, and continue to stand on the side of the people."

U Do Thawng was born in Bo Kyone village, Falam Township, Chin State. He passed his 3-year Medic Training in Rangoon in 1962 with the highest mark in the country. From 1963-1971, he worked as Rural Health Assistant in Thantlang, Matupi and Kanpalet Townships of Chin State. In 1971, he was arrested for the first time with other prominent Chins by the so called Revolutionary Council led by General Ne Win and spent two years in Myingyan Prison. After his release, he was banned from posting in Chin State and was forcibly transferred to the Sagaing Division. Later he decided to retire from civil servant and joined NLD party in 1989.

He was elected from Kalemyo Township constituency-1 in the 1990 general elections. He was then democratically elected, within the party, to represent Sagaing Division NLD. His residence in Kalemyo became party office and meeting place for Township NLD. However, following his arrest the party signboard and flags were pulled down and removed by the local authorities.

Since he has been in prison, his wife, Pi Lal Than Sungi, 60, has been allowed to visit him twice a month for an hour per visit. They are not allowed to speak in their own Chin language but are made to speak in Burmese in prison visits. Only family members are allowed to visit him.

U Do Thawng was put into the dark cell for a week in November 1998 for refusing to sit in prison-position while the authority was passing by. After representatives of the ICRC were allowed to visit Burma prisons, the authority provides him enough rice and water to cook but he still has to be provided with curries from outside. After a series of argument with the prison officials, he succeeded to celebrate Christmas in prison in 1999. He was once infected with tuberculosis and still has to get follow-up treatments. He is also suffering from ischaemic heart disease, which allowed him to retire after serving 25 years in the health department. (Source: CHRO)

The Case of U Pa Pa Lay and U Lu Zaw

U Pa Pa Lay and U Lu Zaw belong to an "Anyeint" troupe called Myo Win Mar, or Our Own Way. Anyeint is a Burmese performance genre that blends classical dance and music with skits and satire. The tradition dwindled after SLORC/SPDC seized power in 1988, but latterly it has been revived by a celebrated Burmese comic called Zargana, who has also done time for cracking jokes during Anyeint shows.

On 4 January 1996, the 48th anniversary of Burma’s independence, Our Own Way performed for 2,000 members of NLD at the home Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Our Own Way sang songs about the generals, state repression and told gags about government cooperatives: "In the past, thieves were called thieves. Now they are known as co-operative workers." Burmese humor has to be indirect, because there is such extensive censorship. In a land without an independent press, live performers can reach an illiterate and technologically disenfranchised audience without access to television or the internet. "The dance troupe will tell the truth," said Our Own Way. "People call us jokers, but now we’re going to achieve democracy; we’d rather be called comedians for democracy." Their aim: "To open the eyes and the ears of the people. That is our job."

Pa Pa Lay and Lu Zaw were arrested, denied legal representation, and not allowed to call or question witnesses. They had called NLD members, including Aung San Suu Kyi, but these witnesses were not allowed to travel to the trial in Mandalay; they were told that their train had broken down. When NLD members reached Mandalay, they found the courthouse closed. The trial took place in prison. Pa Pa Lay and Lu Zaw were given seven years each for spreading "false news", and sent, in shackles, to break rocks in a labour camp. Prolonged sleep deprivation was reportedly used during their interrogation.

Lu Zaw is now believed to be held in Mandalay, where it is thought he is being made to work on an airport construction site. Pa Pa Lay, who was also imprisoned for 20 months in the early 1990s, is in a prison camp in the far north of Myanmar. (Source: ‘New Statesman’)

Since May 1999, workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have been visiting prisons in Myanmar. The Red Cross has come across 30,000 inmates, of which 1,450 are held for reasons of "security". Among those held for security reasons are politicians, students and rebel fighters, all arrested by the military regime for membership of "unlawful associations."

Since May 1999, when the prison visits started, the Red Cross has been allowed into 25 jails, all the main ones, including the infamous Insein prison near Yangon. Eight prisons were visited twice. Since the beginning of March 2000, the Red Cross has for the first time also been granted access to labor camps. So far it has seen two agricultural labor camps located near the capital. Many more remain unseen. The labor camps are holding common criminals and having them work on roads as chain gangs, in mines or in the fields. The organization has also inspected, twice, three government "guest houses", where members of NLD are detained. In effect, the "houses" are internment centers.

The Red Cross was given permission to open an office in Yangon in October 1998. There followed lengthy negotiations with the junta over obtaining access to all the detention centers. Per standard Red Cross practice, the ICRC also asked to register all prisoners, to hold talks with them in private and to be allowed repeat visits. At the end of each inspection, ICRC workers make recommendations to the local prison authorities and pass their conclusions, confidentially, to the Prison Department. In addition, the Red Cross is paying for families of "security detainees" to travel to the jail where their relatives are held. (Source: AFP)

In late 2000, ICRC and ‘Red Moon’ members went to Kawthaung, Tenasserim Division to investigate prisons. However, prior to their arrival, political prisoners (prisoners sentenced under 5/J) from the prison at 9 Mile were moved to another place. In addition, prisoners from New Life Camp (prison labor camp) were kept inside the camp, and soldiers under the supervision of Military Operation (13) based in Bookpyin township were substituted for the prisoners to meet with the ICRC and Red Moon members. Prisoners who have escaped from the prison at 9 Mile say that the conditions of food and health care are very poor and only prisoners who can afford to pay bribes receive enough medical treatment. Therefore, many prisoners die monthly. Moreover, the ICRC members were not given the chance to speak with civilians during their visit. (Source: ALD)

In March 2000, 4 members of the of the NLD Organizing Committee were all sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. They are: Deputy Chairman U Tint Lwin, Deputy Chairman U Myo Kyi, Secretary U Mya Thein, and Joint Secretary U Soe Myint of Kawa township, Pegu Division. The 4 were arrested as a result of their response to the threats and oppression they had been receiving from the Ward and Village PDC, the USDA, and the Police that was attempting to force their resignations. In response, the NLD organizing committee, in order to send letters of complaint to the different authorities, they made copies of the letters at the Han Win Photocopy shop in Pegu. Information about this was given to the Military Intelligence and the Pegu PDC by Ma Thitsa, an employee of the shop resulting in prosecution under the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law and Section 5 (10) of the Emergency Provisions Law.  The trial proceedings were conducted in secret in contravention of the rules and regulations promulgated by the authorities themselves.  The right of defense was denied to the accused.  The trial was unfair, unjust and the punishment out of all proportion to the offence.  (Source: NLD)

On March 14 2000, U Min Swe, a NLD MP of No 2 constituency, Pyapon District, Irrawaddy Division and his son Ko Myo Min Swe were given no reason but were required to report to the Police station. They were accused of taking 70,000 kyats worth of liquor from one Maung Maung, a total stranger, without making any payment. U Min Swe denied the charge and asked that he be allowed to confront Maung Maung , his accuser. The police refused. This Maung Maung is in fact a person closely associated with the Military Intelligence and one who was seeking personal advantage. The case was heard the next day and they were charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code. At the time the offence was alleged to have been committed, U Min Swe was undergoing a sentence of 3 years and 9 months imprisonment for violating Section 22 and 23 of the Private Tuition Law. (Source: NLD)

On March 29 2000, six members of the NLD organising committee of Magwe Division, Aunglan Township Branch were arrested. They were charged under Section 188 of the Penal Code. Their trial was held on March 31, and all six were sentenced by the Township magistrate to 6 months imprisonment. The six organising committee members were the Chairman U Htoon Kyaw, Deputy Chairman U Kyi Nyunt, Joint Secretary U Sein Maung, U Kyaw Hla, U Nyan Paing and Daw Waing Than, the owner of the building in which the office operates. (Source: NLD)

On April 11 2000, Ma Khin Hla Htay, a member of the NLD organising committee, Bassein township, Irrawaddy Division, who also holds the position of Secretary of the NLD Women’s Wing and member of the NLD Youth Wing, was arrested. Local authorities arrested her after they entered and searched her residence, and claimed that they had found a bag full of illegal cash and lottery tickets. Ma Khin Hla Htay and her sister denied ownership of the bag, and Ma Khin Hla Htay bravely put on her NLD party uniform and said that if they wanted to arrest her for her political activities she would take the rap and went along with them. She is presently being illegally held in Bassein jail. (Source: NLD)

At midnight on April 12 2000, the eve of the Buddhist New Year, 38 NLD party members were arrested from their homes on unknown charges. Nine party members from Dagon, 14 from Kyimyindine and 14 from Mingdalon townships and the party’s township chairman from South Okkalapa were arrested by security personnel and dragged from their houses in handcuffs.

A total of 38 persons were arrested as listed below:-

- In Dagon Myothit township- A female member of the organising committee, (NLD office building owner) and  8 other youths. (9)- In Kyemyindine township - Township chairman and deputy chairman and 12  youths.(14)- In Mingaladon township - The secretary and joint secretary, member and owner of the office building, 2 members of the women group and  9 youths. (14)- South Okkalapa township - Chairman of the organizing committee. (1)

U Aye Thar Aung,

On April 24 2000, Aye Tha Aung, a member of the CRPP was arrested by SPDC police at his home. It was not known why he was arrested or where he was being held. Aye Thar Aung, a leading member of the Arakan League for Democracy, serves as the chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Nationalities Affairs of the CRPP. (Two other leaders of minority ethnic parties, 82-year old Nai Tun Shein of the Mon National Democratic Front and Kyin Shin Htan of the Zomi National Congress were arrested last November after they spoke with Alvaro de Soto, then the UN’s special envoy to Burma. The 83-year Saw Mra Aung, another ethnic minority leader who was elected Speaker of the CRPP, has been under arrest since the committee was formed in September 1998.) A notice posted in a government information bulletin admitted that the ethnic minority leader had been taken into custody. It accused him of being connected with "outlawed armed groups operating along the Thai-Myanmar border" and blamed him for "creating misunderstanding" between the military junta and cease-fire armies in eastern and northern Burma. On June 7 2000 he was sentenced to a 21 year prison term. He was denied the right to a defense lawyer. Following the sentence, Aye Tha Aung’s family had only been allowed to see him once, on July 27. (Source: NLD)

In early May 2000, 4 members of the NLD were detained in Mandalay Division. U Than Lwin (NLD Member of Parliament for Constituency 2, Madaya township, Mandalay Division and Chairman of Township Organizing Committee), U Kyaw Swe (Secretary), U Nyein Maung (Treasurer), and U Tin Aung (Youth Wing leader) were all illegally arrested and taken away by the Military Intelligence. Burmese press reports said local constituents had expressed no confidence in U Than Lwin, and the others were accused of threatening peace and stability. On May 18 2000, U Than Lwin was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment for, "making subversive speeches in his constituency." (Source: NLD)

On May 1 2000, township authorities arrested the Magwe Division, Taungdwingyi township NLD executive committee and 25 members following a local level NLD meeting held in Taungdwingyi township on April 29. Altogether 32 NLD members were arrested for attending this meeting. They were mostly young people and included two women. They were taken to the headquarters of the locally-based Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 103 for investigation. Seven of the 32 NLD members were charged and prosecuted by local police and sentenced to imprisonment at the Taungdwingyi court on May 10. (see below) On May 11, all 32 arrested NLD members were transferred to Thayet Prison. The 25 NLD members who had not been sentenced were detained in Thayet Prison until May 19. During their time of detention, they were severely maltreated. They were given food which was impossible to eat, and put into crowded and unsanitary rooms where they were unable to clean themselves or their waste. They were given no medical treatment, were denied family visitation, and were beaten and subjected to severe harassment and physical and mental torture. They were released only after their parents were threatened into signing papers in which they promised to prevent their children from associating with the NLD. (Source: NLD and ABSDF statements)

On May 7, 2000 U Kyi Lwin, an NLD MP, was arrested by the SPDC. U Kyi Lwin was an elected official of the Ngaphae constituency, Ngaphae Township, Magwe Division, and the NLD Ngaphae Township organizer. The police department arrived at U Kyi Lwin’s residence without proper notification and began searching. Upon this search the officials found some hardwood located near his house. The police considered this a crime and charged U Kyi Lwin with illegal trafficking of wood. In addition, the police claimed that the pharmacy that U Kyi Lwin owned was illegitimate so they detained U Kyi Lwin. The incident was reported to Ava through a source in Ngaphae. U Kyi Lwin is a 45 year old retired teacher who was a vocal participant in the 1988 uprisings, and then ran for the NLD during the 1990 elections. (Source: AvaNewsGroup)

On May 10, 2000, NLD organizing committee deputy chairman of Wuntho Township, Saigaing Division, U Nyein Aung  a physician practicing German Homeopathic Medicine, was arrested by the Special Drug squad from Katha, upon charges of drug possession. However, no evidence of the alleged crime was produced. Then on May 12, the authorities arrested NLD Treasurer U Kyaw Thoung, also a physician of Wuntho Township at his residence in Namkhan (Kyauk-pa-sat shwedwin camp). Action was also taken against him on the allegation that the drug, "atromin" was found on the premises. These charges were also unfounded. (Source: NLD)

On May 10 2000, SPDC authorities sentenced 8 NLD members, including the Taungdwingyi township NLD chairman to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour. They had been arrested on May 1 2000 (see above) for attending a NLD meeting in Taungdwingyi, Magwe Division. The jailed NLD members were all charged under the 1950 Emergency Provision Act Section 5 (J). They include: U Mya Saing, NLD (chairman), U Tin Win (secretary), U Sai San (township level organizer), U Ya Tin (village level organizer), U Htay Lwin (member), U Sein Maung (member) and Aung Kyaw Moe (NDL-Youth). They are serving their sentences in Thayetmyo Jail. All have been mistreated, and the Chairman, U Mya Saing suffered head injuries due to beatings. (Source: ABSDF and NLD statements)

On May 16 2000, 3 NLD members (U Aung Zaw, Dagon Township constituency; U Hla Tun, Kemmendine Township constituency; and Dr Than Win, North Okkalapa constituency) were arrested by MI. The SPDC gave no reason for their arrest. The youngest of the detained, U Aung Zaw, was elected in Dagon constituency where the War Office is located and where most of the military circles live. U Hla Tun was arrested for the first time in October 1990 and was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. He was in jail for eight years and was only recently released. The 3 were released in June. (see release of prisoners) (Source: DVB)

On May 17 2000, the SPDC claimed it had arrested two "couriers" for the NLD and a party official allegedly involved in a plot to destabilize the government. Colonel Than Tun, who heads the political department of the Office of Strategic Studies (OSS), said those arrested were smuggling messages and party materials in and out of the country and held them up as "concrete" evidence of a plot to destabilize the military government. He identified two of them as husband and wife team Kyaw Myo Min and Ma Kyi Kyi, who live in Mon State near the Thai border. He accused the couple of running materials between the NLD and exiled dissidents in Thailand. The third person was an NLD township secretary identified as Tint Wai. Three young students detained at the same time were returned to the custody of their parents, while three other suspects remain on the run, Than Tun said. (Source: AFP)

On May 19 2000, members of the Mandalay division organizing committee, the Women’s and Youth Wing and the township organizing committee were illegally, forcefully arrested and detained without a known cause. They were:

On May 22 2000, 15 members of the NLD Pegu Division, Pegu Township organizing committee, including 3 women were illegally arrested and put into solitary confinement at the No 1, Pegu jail. There were viable reports that they were being interrogated by a detachment of the MI, unit 3, and police personnel under very cruel and torturous conditions with hoods over their faces for entire days and nights. (Source: NLD)

On May 26 2000, U Soe Han, Advocate of the Chief Court, Member of the NLD Rangoon Division, Syriam township Organizing Committee and Chairman of the NLD Legal Advisory Body, and 3 others were arrested. They were charged by the MI for failing to report their overnight visit to U Soe Han’s mother’s house, although they had indeed reported their visit as required. Family members were denied their right to visit and defend the accused, which is ensured under a SLORC/SPDC law. Bail was also unlawfully refused. The 3 were found guilty, and charged 50 kyats each. However, U Soe Han was not released and further charges were brought against him (theft and impeding a public servant). The MI found him guilty, again without counsel or right to defense, and sentenced him to 3 months imprisonment. (Source: NLD)

On May 29 2000, the following NLD members were arrested:

1) U Myint, private tuition teacher, Tamwe township
2) Ma Aye Aye Chit, private tuition teacher, Tamwe township
3) Ko Min Zaw, NLD youth, Sanchaung township
4) Ma Thuzar, NLD youth, Sanchaung township
5) Ko Myo Naing, NLD youth, Sanchaung township
6) Ko Lin Naing, NLD youth, Sanchaung township
7) Ko Lin Lin, NLD youth, Sanchaung township
8) Ko Han Aye, NLD youth, Sanchaung township
9) Ko Thet Oo, NLD youth, Sanchaung township
10) U Thaung, NLD member, Owner of the building, Hlaing Tharyar township
11) Ko Aung Zaw, NLD youth, Hlaing Tharyar township
12) Ko Tin Ngwe, NLD youth, Hlaing Tharyar township
13) Ma Aye Aye Ye, NLD youth, Hlaing Tharyar township
14) Ma Win Pa Pa, NLD youth, Hlaing Tharyar township
15) Ko Khin Maung Myint, NLD youth, Insein township
16) Ko Khin Maung Cho, Humanitarian Assistance Committee, Insein Township
17) Ko Khin Maung Htay, NLD youth, Insein township
18) Ko Khin Maung Shein, member of divisional law assistance committee, Insein township
19) Ma Than Than Su Tin, NLD youth, Insein township

(The were all reportedly sent to Insein Jail.) (Source: NLD)

On June 14 2000, five MI agents, two females and U Kyaw Yin, Secretary of the Ward USDA, captured and detained Ma Moe (a) Ma Ni Ni Khaing (Assistant to the Treasurer of the township organizing committee) and her elder sister Ma Yee Yee Khaing and an infant aged 1 year and 7 months at the home of Daw Myint Myint Aye in Bahan Township, Rangoon Division. These women were detained after the officials were unable to find and arrest Ma Pauk and Ma Swe Swe Khaing. U Kyaw Yin had visited the home of Daw Myint Myint Aye 2 times prior, looking for the girls. The involvement of the USDA, a social welfare organization, in the detention of NLD Youth Wing members, is notable as the organization was not designed for use in intelligence service or given administrative power. (Source: NLD)

On June 24, 2000 at 9:30 a.m., NLD organizing committee members from Taungdwingyi in Magwe division, U Thoung Sein (a) U Kyauk Khe, U Soe, U Pa Lay and U Pu, traveled to Pa-ya-kwin village (a distance of about 4 miles from Chaung-ne village).  Waing San, an NLD member who lived in that village had been arrested under Section 5 (10) and their mission was to obtain his household census list and his wife’s, Daw Khin Lay Kyi’s, registration papers to forward to the International Red Cross. At 12 noon the same day, USDA chairman Aung Win and local authority chairman Tha Sein telephoned the police at Taungdwingyi and Set-thwa and reported that the Taungdwingyi NLD was "organizing the villagers". Police from both the stations lay in wait and arrested the NLD members on their return home and detained them at the Taungdwingyi Police station. Their families were not permitted to see them. On June 26, 2000, they were charged under Section 505 (b) for being in possession of NLD documents.  NLD is a legally constituted political party and they are entitled to possess these documents.  The complainants were Police Superintendent Thet Naing, and U Myo Myint, Township legal officer. The NLD members were sentenced to 2 years imprisonment with hard labor. (Source: NLD)

On June 30, 2000, NLD member U San Win, a resident of Nget-pwa-kwin village in Nyaung-don township, Irrawaddy division, went to the NLD central head office and purchased some statements for the members in his area to read. On July 1, 2000, while cycling home to his village at about 11:30 a.m., he was arrested  by, Saing Ko Ko Lat, a member of the Me-za-li-auk-su inspection team, for possessing four NLD statements. That night four policemen, led by Soe Win and Htein Lin, chairman of the Nget-pwa-kwin village authority, went to U San Win’s house and conducted a search. They left without finding any contraband. Later they returned and claimed that a small syringe had been found. Only his paralyzed mother and 70-year old father (U Than Aung) were in the house at the time. They took his father to the Me-za-le-auk inspection center and forced him to sign a paper saying that the syringe belonged to his son. U San Win was being held at the Nyaung-don police station when he was confronted with this search form bearing his father’s signature.  He was told that if he refused to confess, action would be taken against his father for making a false statement. On Monday July 3, 2000, after completion of this trumped up charge, he was sent to court and found guilty under Section 27 (1) by the Nyaungdon township judge and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. He was also made to pay kyats 300/- for transportation to the Ma-u-bin jail and kyats 200/- for lock up fees. Htein Lin, the SPDC chairman involved in this incident threatened to imprison anyone who reported back to the NLD central office. (Source: NLD)

On August 24 2000, NLD Chairman U Tin Oo, General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Rangoon Division Organizing Committee Chairman and Central Executive Committee member U Soe Myint, Rangoon Division Organizing Committee member Dr. U Myo Aung and sixteen members of the NLD Youth Wing (including the two drivers) were prevented from visiting Kungyangon and Kawhmu townships to reorganize the youth wing. They were stopped 3 miles outside of Dala at Kyansitha ward, and told to return to Rangoon, which the party refused to do. (See chapter on movements for more details about the blockade.) The blockade lasted from August 24 to September 1, 2000.

On September 1 2000, at 11:30 pm Commander Hla Myint Maw from the special unit of Military Intelligence (12) was ordered by Major -General Kyaw Win, Deputy Director of Military Intelligence to arrest Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo and U Soe Myint and the 16 NLD youths, and to return them to Rangoon. In carrying out the orders, (5) policewomen from the information unit of the office of the Bureau of special investigation (BSI) stationed at 9th mile, Mayangone Township, Major Than Tun from the DDSI and Office of Strategic Studies (OSS), Chief Police Superintendent Aung Nwe, Police Superintendent Myo Lwin, and a force of around 200 security personnel including MIS Major Ne Soe and Teza suddenly traveled to Dala and raided the camp. Whilst Major Than Tun was talking to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo, the (5) policewomen without warning forcibly apprehended and handcuffed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and violently pushed her into a car and drove her to Rangoon . At the same time the electric supply to Dala was temporarily cut off. The NLD youths refused to be handcuffed and as a result there was a brawl between the youths and the police in which 9 youths were beaten hard and seriously injured. But they were not hospitalised and directly sent to Insein prison, together with U Soe Myint, chairman of the NLD Rangoon Division Organizing Committee, and Dr. Myo Aung.

Those detained in Insein jail were:

U Soe Myint,

Aage 78, (a member of CEC and Chairman of Rangoon division NLD)
Dr. Myo Aung (member of Rangoon Division NLD organizing committee)
and the following NLD youth members:

1- Htun Zaw Zaw ( Rangoon division)
2- Myo Nyunt (Rangoon division)
3- Htun Myint (same)
4- Thein Lwin (same)
5- Aung Htoo (same)
6- Khin Oo (same)
7- Moe Thaw (a) Pauk Pauk (same)
8- Myint Kyaw (same)
9- Shwe Gyo (same)
10- Than Htut (same)
11- Nyan Lin Aung (same)
12- Aye Myein Lin (same)
13- Than Htun (same)
14- Thein Swe (Irrawaddy Division)
15- Zaw Min Kyaw (same)
16- Min Aung Nyo (Mon State)

The NLD members of Dala township who were nearby were arrested at the same time and then released after a few hours. However, they  were arrested again in the afternoon of the same day and sent to jail. Force was applied to U Tin Oo who was transported to his residence where he was dragged out of the car very aggressively.  U Tin Oo was dropped off at his home and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was temporarily taken to an unknown destination before being taken to her residence. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi including (9) members of CRPP were then pressured to sign documents dissolving the CRPP. They were all threatened with being immediately driven to where U Aye Thar was being held and then imprisoned, if they did not sign the documents dissolving the CRPP.

The Committee members of the CRPP were separated from each other, and their telephone lines disconnected. They were told not to attend the party offices or go outside their homes, and they were all placed under house arrest. The 16 NLD youths who were separated from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at 12:30 pm were placed in special solitary confinement at Insein jail, and held for investigation. The persons in charge of this investigation was said to have been Major Hla Thet Maw, and Major Than Tun. Dr Myo Aung, Ko Tun Zaw and an unknown youth (from the 16 NLD youths) were said to be dangerously ill. (Source: NLD, ABSDF, HRDU)

In addition, all NLD members and other people who came to NLD HQ on the morning of September 2nd without knowing the situation were arrested and taken away by trucks to jail. During the period of house arrest, Central Executive Committee member U Lwin was not permitted to visit the surgery for his physical ailment and was told by the security guard that he would not be permitted to go anywhere at all and to avoid responsibility he said that these were orders from above. U Lwin’s request for visitation by certain doctors was refused. However, later on after repeated demands for medical attention of U Lwin and others, permission was granted. On 14 September 2000 at 9:00 a.m. NLD Chairman U Aung Shwe was invited by SPDC Secretary 1, General Khin Nyunt and was informed that all movement restrictions placed on NLD Central Executive members were withdrawn and the head office was also opened. (Source: NLD, ABSDF, HRDU)

On September 13 and 14 2000, 11 members of the NLD were arrested following a NLD member’s statement of 12 September regarding the military’s prevention of Aung San Suu Kyi’s travel at Dala. The 11 were arrested by Military Intelligence Unit 14 and detained in Insein Jail.

On September 21 2000, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo attempted to travel by train to Mandalay to investigate reports of NLD repression there. The authorities refused to allow her to board the final train of the day which left at 9 PM. The group was told that all trains were full, but remained at the station until all the trains had departed. The authorities alleged that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi "lashed out at a station cleaning crew" before being requested to leave. Scores of plainclothes officers and police in riot gear were sent to the station, and journalists were ordered to leave the area. There was tight security around the station, with shops and businesses closed. At 1 AM, U Tin Oo was taken into custody by the authorities and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was taken to her home and put under house arrest. About 100 of her supporters were herded into trucks by military police at the station and taken away. (See appendix # 2) Seven other members of the NLD central executive committee were also confined to their homes.

From March 2000, the military stopped the practice of allowing the NLD MP’s from Rangoon Division, living in "guest houses" to return to their homes fortnightly. Previously this had been allowed, and the subsequent separation from family has had negative effects on the physical and mental health of the detainees, who have been detained without cause since September 1998. (Source: NLD)

In May 2000, the majority of the NLD MP’s incarcerated on September 6, 1998 staged a hunger strike. The SPDC and M.I. responded to the demands of the hunger strikers by inviting representatives to ‘Ethay Yay Tha Hotel’ for discussion. When the representatives arrived, they were arrested by the authorities and interrogated to solicit who instigated the strike. Those who refused to cooperate were threatened. After they were interrogated by the military intelligence personnel, some were returned to the original camps while others were transferred to military camps in regions infested with poisonous snakes and centipedes. Five of the MP’s were by force removed from the original holding centers to an unknown center. The demands of the hunger strikers were as follows:

1. That every Member of Parliament arrested and held in custody illegally since September 6, 1998 be immediately and unconditionally released.

2. That every member of the NLD Youth Wing and NLD organising committee members incarcerated since the April 12, 2000 be immediately and unconditionally released.

3. That the 1961 Habitual Offenders Act be abolished and all those NLD members whose movements have been restricted as a result of the Act be immediately relieved from the terms under which they have been held.

4. That every political prisoner suffering imprisonment since 1988 be immediately and unconditionally released.

5. That all political parties be allowed to function and operate according to democratic principles. (Source: HRDU, PD Burma)

In May 2000, 3 contributors to the opposition newspaper, MoJo, were arrested by MI in Burma. They are: Tint Wae, of KaMarYut (near Rangoon), Ko Myo and Ma Htay Htay, both of Bilin (Mon state). They were accused by the authorities of collecting dissident news and secretly distributing copies of MoJo, which is linked to the NLD. At a press conference in Rangoon on 17 May Colonel Than Htun, an MIS officer, accused MoJo of trying to destabilise the country. 6 other MoJo contributors had been arrested in Burma in 1999, bringing the total to 9. These 9 journalists face prison sentences of up to 10 years. (Source: RSF)

In June 2000, 8 student activists, members of the ABFSU, were arrested by the Military Intelligence. They were accused in SPDC state-run media of violent terrorist activities, put in MI interrogation centers, then detained at Insein. As of May 2001, they were still being detained in Insein Prison, Rangoon, and had not yet been given a trial or sentenced. The arrested students were:

(1) Ma Than Than Htay (a) Akyi Htay, age 33
(2) Ma Tin Tin Myint
(3) Htun Zaw Htay (a) Htun Htun
(4) Ko Aye Win
(5) Zin Min Oo (a) Ah Nge Lay, age 23
(6) Myo Aung (a) Ah Nge Lay, age 25
(7) Ko Myo Thant (a) Ko Myo Sat, age 32
(8) Ko Kyaw Htay (a) Japan Gyi (a) Ko Latt, age 30
(Source: ABFSU-FAC)

On September 13 2000, Cheng Poh, a well-known 77-year old lawyer was sentenced to 14 years in jail for allegedly distributing foreign press clippings with anti-government slogans written on the back. Cheng Poh had been arrested in July, and detained in Insein Prison up until the time of sentence, which was given by a special court inside the compound of Insein prison. The state prosecution accused Cheng Poh of copying anti-government foreign media publications and distributing them with statements written on the reverse, such as "No Freedom, Our Mouths Are Sealed." He was given seven years under the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act and seven years under the 1962 Printers and Publishers Act to be served consecutively. His family plans to appeal the verdict. There are concerns for his health. (Source: AP)

On January 8 2000, a unit of troops from IB No. 54, led by Captain Myint Naing, went to the villages in Tee Lon village tract and arrested several people suspected to be in connection with rebels. People whose names were on the list that the troops brought with them were arrested without questioning. The troops went to Daw Parpah and Daw The villages and ordered all villagers to gather at a football ground. They then read the names on the paper and forced these people out of the crowd, tied them up and tortured them in the presence of the rest of the villagers. Some of the soldiers looted gold and livestock from the houses in the village while people were convened in the football ground.

The first batch of arrested people were; Hay Reh, 35, Raw Reh, 55, Tra Reh, 45, Mia Reh, 35, Noh Reh, 28, Eu Reh, 31, Hah Du, 58, Pastor Bot Cah, 27, Go Reh, 25, Tre Reh, 35, Ywa Reh, 20, Pam Reh, 50, Lwe Moe (female), 30, Wei Reh, 25, and Mya Reh, 30 from Daw The village, Hla Pe, 48, La Dal, 33, Doy Reh, 20, Mo Reh, 30, Eai Reh, 56, Naw Reh, 30 and Pwa Reh, 20, from Daw Parpah village, Tio Mee, 35, Noh Reh, 26, Rah Reh, 25, an unknown villager from Wam Ngaw village and Daing Mein, 45, from Nam Sukuay village.

The second batch of arrested people were; Fah Reh, 35, Mew Reh, 45, Kwi Reh, 25, Ohn Feh, 45, Moi Reh, 40, and Fre Reh, 35, from Daw Parpah village. As of April 2000, some of these 33 people arrested had been released but others were still detained at the military base. (Source: KNAHR)

On January 16 2000, one man and three women of Pahoe village, Lopwa Koe District, Karenni State were arrested by troops from LIB 516, Company 4, led by Maj. Aye Kyaw while they were on their way to the church. Four more villagers were arrested when the troops reached another village All the arrested villagers were tied up with string - they tried to escape while the troops were searching the village for properties to take with them. The troops then set fire to the village. (Source: KNAHR)

On January 19 2000, U Than Chaun of No 3 Saing-kone quarters, Shwe-goo township, Kachin State was charged sentenced to suffer two years rigorous imprisonment under Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code. U Than Chaun had been a proprietor of a coffee shop, and on December 18,1999 the Shwe-goo Police arrested him and seized the radio in the coffee shop because the radio had been tuned in to Voice of America (VOA) (Burmese Section). While in prison, his distraught wife who suffered from heart ailment and high blood pressure passed away. U Than Chaun who is 70 years old suffers from medical problems. (Source: NLD)

On January 20 2000, about 70 well-armed soldiers from LIB 428 entered Misar Padeh village, Lopwa Koe District, Karenni Statet and arrested 40 villagers. They separated the men and women, then took their names and pictures. The troops then searched all the households and took all the belongings that they saw. All the villagers domestic animals were eaten by the troops as well. (Source: KNAHR)

On January 24 2000, a farmer, U Han Tin of Chaung-sauk village, Khan Tet village tract, Zeegon township, Pegu Division was arrested because he had defaulted in supplying the full quota of paddy due to bad weather conditions during the previous year end of crop season. Furthermore he was unable to pay the prescribed cash in lieu of the paddy quota. (Source: NLD)

On January 29, 2000, SPDC troops of Murng-Khark-based LIB328 arrested 2 Lahu villagers, Kya Yae (m), aged 21 and Kya Pae (m), aged 22, of Nam Laek village, Tong Pha Kao tract, Murng-Khark township, and detained them in the military base. The Lahu villager leaders were forced to exchange a cow for their release. (Source: SHRF)

In February 2000, U San Htun,an Officer-in-charge of the Maungdaw Police Station, who is notorious for his extreme hatred towards Rohingya community, arrested six innocent Rohingya youths under a concocted charge of drug addicts. They were sentenced to jail for a term of 14 years without trial. They have since been moved to Sittwe jail. (Source: ARNO)

On February 11 2000, a Mon farmer, Nai Tun Shwe, from Kawpee-htaw village in Kalortort village tract of Mudon Township, Mon State was arrested by authorities and police after he failed to sell the remaining amount of paddy that he owed to the government paddy buying centers. In December 1999 the village headmen and paddy-buying authorities had set for him to sell 192 baskets of paddy for his 12 acres of land, even though he had lost some crops due to flooding in the 1999 rainy season. From December to January, he had managed to sell about 131 baskets of paddy, but 61 baskets remained to be sold.. On February 5, the village headmen warned him to sell the remaining as quickly as possible, but he was unable to do this, and so he was arrested at his house and detained for 25 days. During his time in detention, the authorities forced his family to sell the remaining paddy and he was released after his wife sold the full amount of paddy. (Source: HURFOM)

On February 12 2000, troops from IB 332 captured 30 men from Wan Phai Long, Mong Pan Township, Shan State and detained them in the monastery of Hsao Pet. 10,000 kyats was demanded for their release. (Source: SSANews)

On February 18 2000, Mudon Township authorities and paddy-buying officials went to Kamawet village, Mudon township, Mon State to force villagers who had failed to sell the paddy quota to comply. These authorities, together with village militia troops, arrested Mi Phaw Tin, F, age 51, and her son, Mehm Raing Chai, 21 years old and brought them to Mudon township police station. The two were arrested in place of their husband/father who had not been able to sell his paddy quota and had not been at the house when the officials arrived. The mother and the son were detained in the police station for 7 days and the authorities also gave pressure to Nai Nyein Han to sell the set amount of paddy for the release of his wife and son. The farmer pled with the officials to detain him instead of his family, but the authorities refused. The farmer was then forced to sell some of his belongings, buy paddy, and give it to the authorities for the release of his wife and son.
(Source: HURFOM)

On February 28 2000, SPDC soldiers of IB 287 made a search for farmers who had been working in the "free fire area". The soldiers were stationed at Wan Sing to stand guard on the Mong Nong-Wan Sing highway Laikha township, Shan State and were bivouacking at Loi Sork. During their patrol in the east of Loi Nang Mai, they arrested 5 farmers, all females, from Wan Koong Nong Wuo, Naa Poy tract, Wan Sing, Shan State. They were:
1. Nang Lu
2. Nang Ong
3. Nai Nang
4. Nang Yong and
5. Nang Kya Yong

On reaching their village the victims were released after they had paid 45,000 kyats and 30 tickals (1/2 kg.) of raw opium. (Source: SSANews)

On February 25 2000, the commanding officer of the Western Area Command # 4 arrested 14 Ulema (religious leaders) from Ziban Chaung (Ziban Khali) village under Bawlibazar township for alleged reconstruction by the villagers of their age-old village mosque. The arrested persons include Moulvi Khaled son of Moulvi Sayed and Moulvi Rashid. The military prohibits building or repairs of any mosques or Muslim institutes particularly in Arakan. (Source: ARNO)

On March 20 2000, SPDC authorities arrested a villager and put him into jail in Karen state. According to a relative of the victim, the villager SPDC authorities arrested the villager, U Ba Myint (40 years) and handed over him to the MI officers of Moulmein Myo (town) who put him into the jail without any trial. U Ba Myint was from Fahloon village, Papun township, Karen state. Fahloom village consists of about 180 houses and is about 110 miles away in the south from Pa-an, the capital of Karen state. (Source: MICB)

On March 24 2000, Nine 10th standard students were arrested and sentenced to three months in jail. They were arrested as a result of an incident on March 13, in which they had led a group of motorcyclists around Mergui, Tenasserim Division, with US flags tied to their motorcycles. The authorities took the incident as an act of political defiance aimed at disparaging the image of the military government through nonviolent means. The SPDC then issued a decree banning the display of foreign flags on festival pavilions and cars and prohibiting the wearing of flags as headbands during the Thingyan [Water] Festival. The SPDC also put its Union Solidarity and Development Association members and military intelligence units on alert to watch foreign travelers participating in the Water Festival. (Source: DVB)

On April 21, 2000, 3 villagers, Zaai Paain, aged 22, Zaai Leng, aged 26 and Zaai Kam, aged 31, from Saalaa Wan Mai village in Phang Min tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, were arrested and extorted 30,000 baht each by police and 7 members of the township USDA. The police and USDA members arrested the 3 villagers at their farms and accused them of being amphetamine traffickers and detained them in a Buddhist temple at Saw Kong village in the same tract. They were threatened with being sent to prison if they refused to pay. The farmers were so frightened that they finally agreed to pay the money and sent one of them, Zaai Paan, to borrow it from their fellow villagers. Later, these farmers had to sell their livestock and other belongings to pay back their debts. The victims were know among the local people to be simple farmers who grew rice and soya-bean and kept some livestock. Their financial status was no better than any other ordinary local farmers and they had never engaged in any kind of trading business. (Source: SHRF)

On April 23, 2000, a patrol of 30 SPDC troops from IB244 arrested 3 Akha villagers of Loi Mi village in Huay Phaa tract, Kaeng-Tung township and extorted 7,000 kyat, after their families negotiated the price down from 30,000 kyat, for the release of each of them. The 3 men were Kham Maw, age 36, Ai Lu, age 41, and Aa Noo, age 29. (Source: SHRF)

On May 5 2000, SPDC police officers of Kyauk Se main police station arrested two Muslim men and sentenced them each to 15 years. The police officers of the main police station of Kyauk Se (Myo) town demanded kyats 10,000 each from the two Muslims and a quarrel took place between them. Later, the police officers arrested and put them into the jail. According to a villager (name withheld) the police officers further warned that if the news leaked out, the police officers would frame (false) political case under section 5-J. The two Muslims were U Kasem (29 yerar) and U Than Tun (31 years) of Kyauk Se (Myo) town. (Not their real names). (Source: MICB)

In the middle of May 2000, 7 farmers from Depe-yin township, Sagaing Division were arrested and incarcerated for damaging a road on the day before the new road’s opening ceremony. The road had been built on land that was being used for cultivation in the region between Pyan-kya and Ma-gyi-zauk villages in De-pe-yin township causing the loss of about 10 acres of agricultural land. The farmers were arrested following their preparations for cultivation in their fields. (Source: NLD)

On May 18 2000, 25 farmers who had been unable to supply "duty paddy" in the Koon-gyan-gone Township of Rangoon Division were arrested by township authorities. These farmers had made every attempt to fulfill the paddy quota, yet they had been unable to due in part to the red tape involved in the purchase of diesel oil which is required for irrigation machinery. Every time that farmers in the area desire to purchase oil, they must first get endorsements from several town officials, which costs the farmer 1200 to 1500 kyat even before the oil is purchased. U Than Htay (Taungkoo West village), U Aye Kyi (Taungkoo East village), U Aung Win, and U Than Win (Kha-lauk-ta-ya village) were some of the 25 farmers who were incarcerated at the Police Station. The families of these farmers were forced to sell their lands, buffaloes and cows, or take loans in order to meet the quota so the arrested could be released. Those whose families were not able to come up with the quota were kept in jail. In addition 28,000 kyats were demanded in bail from the families of U Japangyi and U Aung Win from Taung-goo east village and U Hla Htay from Taung-goo west village, even after their quotas were met. (Source: NLD)

On May 26 2000, SPDC military intelligence officers arrested U Tin Hlaing (50 years) of Oak poe village, Taung Ngo township, Pegu division. According to a relative, he was accused of making contact with the NLD and was then sent directly to notorious Thaya waddy prison. (Source: MICB)

On May 31 2000, Burma’s state newspapers recorded that Tun Myat Thu, alias Naing Lin Hset, was arrested at his house in an eastern suburb of Yangon with fake passports and government seals and sentenced to 27 years by the Yangon East District Court. He was accused of buying the documents from an ABSDF member in Bangkok. Ma Win Yee, who was accused of smuggling the forged documents from Thailand to Myanmar, was sentenced on the same day to 12 years in prison. She allegedly was caught at Myawaddy, on the Myanmar side of its eastern border with Thailand, with 165 forged seaman’s passports, 91 forged first-grade overseas nautical officer certificates and 48 other fake documents. (Source: AP)

In June 2000 Ma Thein Htwe Oo, a female soldier and wife of the Commanding Officer of LIB 530, which is based in Loikhaw town,Karenni State, was found to have spoken for the well-being of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD. As a result of what she said, the Loikhaw authorities arrested Ma Thein Oo and sentenced her to 6 months in prison with hard labor. (Source: PD Burma)

On June 6, 2000 about 20 troops from DKBA led by Bo Po Dah and Bo Aung Gyi came into Tone-ta-dah village, Kyaukkyi Township, Karen State and arrested Saw Ba Li, age 28, son of Saw Ngati and Saw Po La Min, age 27, son of Saw Kway Pyu. They accused them of having connections with the KNU, and sent them to Bo Moe Hmong base at Klaw Maw where they were detained. The two men were Christian, but were forced to become Buddhist monks. As of October 2000 they had not yet been released. (Source: KAWU)

On June 6, 2000, members of SPDC’s Police Department in Ta-Khi-Laek, conscripted a civilian car and traveled to Wan Naa villager, Murng-Phong tract. They arrested 3 villagers and accused them of dealing in amphetamines, after which they detained them at the Ta-Khi-Laek police station and ordered their parents to pay 30,000 baht each for their release, otherwise they would be sent to jail. They were released after their parents paid 10,000 baht, all the money they could come up with, for the release of each one. The 3 men were Zaai Leng, age 26, Zaai Pan-Yaa, age 21, and Zaai Kham Yaang, age 20.(Source: SHRF)

On June 9, 2000, troops from SPDC LIB 399 arrested Toh-thay-poo villagers Saw Pa Le and Saw La May, and Kaw-tha-say villager Saw Win Naing. They took them to Klaw-maw-ko, Nyaung-lay-bin District, Karen State and demanded 20,000 kyat and some of their clothing. (Source: KIC)

On June 16, 2000, SPDC troops of IB 99 were coming from Ham Ngai when they arrived at Wan Long village, Wan Mong tract, Murng Kerng township, Shan State. They saw 5-6 villagers in a house belonging to Loong Yawd Murng, and accused all of them of discussing how to send supplies to SSA troops. After that they searched every corner in the house and arrested the 5-6 men. (Source: SSA)

On June 23 2000, troops from LIB 705, led by SPDC (Company 2) Commander Pau Mong Nae, raided Htee P’ Nyae Village, Kya Aye Township, Dooplaya District, Karen State. The following civilians were arrested on suspicion of having KNU connections:

On June 26, 2000, a Chin woman named Pi Sai Sung, a 29 year old farmer, was arrested by a group  of Burmese soldiers led by Captain San Lwin from LIB  266 in Bungkhua village of Chin State. She was accused of  having a relationship with CHRO field monitor Mr. Zothang who had been killed by  the soldiers earlier that same day. (See relevant chapter on killing) She was brought on foot to Thantlang town, which is 28 miles away from  Bungkhua village. According to the villagers, the soldiers covered her mouth  with rags and let her wear only her bra and under skirt along the way. Her husband is detained by the SPDC authority in Kalaymyo  jail. He had been accused of supporting the Chin National Front (CNF) and arrested in  July 1999. Their two children, an 11 years old daughter and 5 year old son, are now looked after by villagers. (Source: CHRO)

On June 29, 2000, SPDC MI officers from Taung Dwin Gyi, Magwe division arrested a Muslim man with an allegation that he had contact with the NLD. According to a trader, the victim known as U Kasem (35 years) lived in Block No. (1), Taung Dwin Gyi Myo (town), Magwe division of Burma. (Source: MICB)

On July 10 2000, SPDC authorities arrested a Muslim man by the name of U Mohammad, age 40, and fined him 50,000 kyats in Pa-an township, Karen State for simply reporting  an offence by neighbors. He had informed the authorities led by Bo Myint, a DKBA officer,  that the cattle of neighbors had destroyed his cultivation field and caused him  great loss. The SPDC officers responded that he should not disturb the officers on duty with such a small matter, and arrested him. (Source: MICB)

On July 20 2000, SPDC troops from LIB 101, led by Second Commander Ko Ko Oo, arrived in a village in Karenni State and arrested Pha Taw, 23 yrs, and Saw Sa Kaw Doh Mo, 17 yrs, when they came over them. It was reported that the two men were released after questioning. (Source: KNAHR)

On July 28 2000, USDA township officials handed over two Burmese Muslim civilians to MI No.25, who put them into prison in Karen state of Burma. Papun township USDA officer, U Saw Fata demanded bribe money in the amount of kyats 10,000 from each Muslim. The two Muslims, U Kadir (30 years) and U Aung Min (38 years) requested the USDA officer forgive them because they were very poor and unable to comply with the demand. The USDA officer framed a false case that the two Muslims had a close contact with the NLD and handed over them to the MI. (Source: MICB)

On July 30 2000, two prisoners disappeared in Mandalay prison and their mothers were arrested by the SPDC authorities. The two mothers of the two prisoners did not know that their sons, with along other dozens of prisoners, were sent to the porter-recruiting camps in Myaing Kalay, Southwest of Karen state, about 20 kilometers away from Mya Waddy. The two mothers went to the prison and asked the prison-authorities the whereabouts of their sons. The prison authorities reported the matter to the MI officials who immediately arrested the two mothers. The two prisoners were Win Htey (24 years) and Mya Din (30 years) and the two mothers were Daw Mya Mu (53 years) and Daw Khin Su (58 years) of Mandaly (Myo) town. (Source: MICB)

On August 5, 2000, 6 SPDC troops from LIB526 who were manning a checkpoint at Pa Kok ferry crossing on Nam Mae Sai river in Murng Phong tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, arrested 2 villagers, Lung Saam Ko, aged 50 and his son, Zaai Laa, aged 19, and extorted 1,200 baht from them. (Source: SHRF)

On August 6, 2000, SPDC LIB 421 entered Law Jar village in Pruso Township, No. (1) district of Karenni State, and arrested the headman (name was not available) and secretary named Ko Reh. Ko Reh was tortured to death in the village while the headman was taking to Pruso police station where he was detained for one day. On August 8 he was released after being questioned. (Source: KNAHR)

On August 8, 2000, troops from SPDC LIB 60, went to Aung-soe-moe village, Nyaung-lay-gin District, Karen State and arrested innocent villager Saw Ko Kyaw, brought him to Kyauk-kyi police station and demanded 23,000 kyat. (Source: KIC)

On August 15 2000, SPDC troops under command of Tactical Commander Khin Maung Myint arrived in Phon Tha Yat village, Sagaing Division and arrested two villagers, Oo Wel Sin and Oo Pya, as result of their taking photos of the SPDC troops. (Source: Inside Burma)

On August 15, 2000, 7 policemen from the SPDC’s People’s Police Force in Kaeng-Tung township arrested 3 villagers at Wan Laao village in Loi Long tract, Kaeng-Tung township, on a charge of dealing methamphetamines and locked them up at the police station in the town. The 3 men, Zaai Sai, aged 36, Zaai Zaen Sen, aged 30 and Zaai Peng, aged 25, were Shan farmers who earned a simple living by growing rice and some other crops and vegetables. There was no evidence against them and on August 18 the village headman and some fellow villagers came to plead with the police authorities for the release of the 3 men, stating that they guaranteed their innocence. The police released them, but only after the villagers paid 3,000 kyat to each of the 7 policemen for their time and effort used in arresting them. During their detention in the police station, the 3 villagers were forced to work from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every day. Each day, about 11-12 detainees were forced to work in the police station; doing sanitary work, weeding grass, fetching water and polishing floors, etc. (Source: SHRF)

On August 25, 2000, SPDC authorities arrested 6 Burmese Muslims on the allegation that they failed to attend the anti- NLD demonstration held by USDA. The authorities were led by Pyu township USDA President U Maung Thet and Secretary U Soe Paing. The six Burmese Muslims were U Kasem (46 years), U Tha Khin (43 years), U Esoof (35 years), U Amin (40 years), U Than Htaik (29 years) and Daw soe Ma Ma ( 30 years old female, from Pyu Myo, Pegu division. (Source: MICB)

On August 28, 2000, SPDC LIB 560 2nd commander Maj. Htay Win summoned captured villager Saw Tee Tu Baw who was in confinement and demanded 200,000 kyat for his release.  (Source: TIR)

On August 21, 2000, column No. 1 from SPDC Division 22 LIB 202 seized a villager from Pa-loo village, Doo-pla-ya District, Karen State and took him to the area of Zheh-Kyune-taung and Ta-bloh-ko-kee. (Source: KIC)

In September 2000, 2 villagers from Do May village, Demawso Township, Karenni State were unable to perform their forced labor duty, or give the fines for their absence. So LIB 102 arrested the men and detained them for a week until they were able to pay 20,000 kyats each. (Source: DVB)

On September 1, 2000, 3 members of USDA and 2 policeman, led by U Kan Nyunt, one of the USDA authorities, arrested 3 villagers from Murng Phong and extorted 5,000 baht from each of them. The 3 villagers, Zaai Non, aged 23, Zaai Seng, aged 23 and Zaai Leo, aged 23, were arrested at a motorcycle taxi station in Murng Phong village where they worked. They were detained at the USDA office in the town. Though all 3 of them worked as motorcycle taxi drivers, they were arrested on a charge of dealing in methamphetamines and were told to pay 30,000 baht each for their release. The parents and relatives of the 3 men tried in vain to plead for their release, stressing that their sons were innocent and that there was no evidence against them. The USDA members insisted that they knew the 3 men were involved in drug trafficking and that was evidence enough to arrest them and put them in jail, and kept demanding the money. The villagers on their part kept pleading until the USDA members agreed to accept 5,000 baht for the release of each of them, and the matter was thus settled. (Source: SHRF)

On September, 1, 2000, four Muslim elders of Daing Win Gwan Block village, Moulmein township, Mon State where a primary school was situated, put up an application requesting the high authorities to spare the Muslim students from learning Buddhism in the school, were arrested and as of October 9 2000 were still under custody. The four village elders, were U Ismail, U Yacoob, U Than Tun and Daw Mariam. (Source: ARNO, MICB)

On September 2 2000, a unit of troops from LIB 428 reached Htee Kludaw, No. 1 district, Karenni State and arrested a pastor named Saw Reh with the accusation of having contact with the Karenni armed group. (Source: KNAHR)

On September 2 2000, Kabawhtar villager Saw Say Lar, age 35, was arrested by troops from LIB 101 led by Maj. Tint Lwin. He was arrested at Kawbawdeh village while on his way to Mawchi in order to purchase goods. He was ordered to stay with the troops for interrogation, then released on September 5, after staying with the troops for three days. (Source: KNAHR)

On September 12, 2000, in Nyaung-lay-bin District, Karen State, Saw Pa Dah from the DKBA seized Kaw-tha-say villagers: (1) Saw Shwe and Po Htoo Meh, son of Saw Tha Maung; (2) Ta Eh, son of Maung Tha and (3) Naw Hsa Pleh, daughter of Saw Baw. The troops took them to Klaw-maw military camp by force. (Source: KIC)

On September 13 2000, SPDC authorities arrested four Burmese Muslims from inside a mosque in Irrawaddy division. The authorities led by military officer Lt. Hla Aung and Mau Bin police station chief U Ba Kyaing arrested the four Muslims without any reason and sent them directly to the Rangoon Insein Jail. The four Burmese Muslims were U Mohammad Kasim (45 years), U Mya Win (41 years), U Hal Pe (38 years) and U Hla Thein (40 years)of Mau Bin Myo, Irrawaddy Division. (Source: MICB)

In the second week of September 2000, Saya Yaung Win and Yant Tat from MIS No.(10) and an ex-police entered Nazir Para (village) of Akyab (Sittwe) city, Arakan State under the pretext of checking the guest list. They asked the residents to get out of their houses and started checking the family members one house after another. When a member of the family was absent or a guest was found present in a house the head of the family was arrested and tortured. During the course of checking some of the unmarried young girls were dishonored. The arrested persons were later released on bribery. (Source: ARNO)

On September 23, 2000, SPDC authorities arrested two Muslim men in Pegu division. SPDC Pegu division Regional Battalion Commander Col. Khin Win and USDA officer, U Sein Min arrested the two Muslims on the allegation that they criticized the two junta’s higher officers extorting money and brutalizing the civilians in the region. Later, the officers handed over them to the notorious MI in Pegu city who put them into Pegu jail.
(Source: MICB)

On October 28 2000, four students from Tavoy State High School No.4 were taken in for questioning by the MI. The four students, who had recently been expelled, entered the school on October 26, shouted their dissatisfaction and staged protest. Other students joined them and shouted anti-government slogans, yet the headmaster, U Saw Shein, and the teachers were able to control the situation. The MI found out about the matter and questioned the headmaster, teachers, and responsible parents on October 28. One student was detained at Wekyin police station in Tavoy. The remaining three are being interrogated at the MI Unit-19 camp. The four arrested students are Kyaw Lin and Thet Zaw Htay, both 8th standard students, and Saw Nge Nge and Thet Naing Win, both 9th standard students. No details have been received on why they were expelled and why they came back to school to stage the protest. (Source: DVB)

On November 10, 2000, troops from SPDC IB 124 came to Kaw-law-kah village, Toun-goo District, Karen state and arrested and tied up (1) Ka Chai Pah (M) (2) Moo Ler Pah (M) (3) Saw Gay Tha (M) (4) Maung Poo Nyo (M) and (5) Saw Kler Per (M). The troops later to them away looted possessions worth 10,000 kyats from Per-kaw-doe villagers. (Source: KIC)

On December 11, 2000, SPDC troops from LIB 315 led by Captain Win Shwe captured and jailed an innocent civilian named Sai Kae Sa, age 25, son of Loong Zarm and Nai Parng, who lived in Wan Ho Pung village, Nong Kaw tract, Lai Kha township. After that, they sent a message to his family that if they wished to see him released, they would exchange him for 25,000 kyat. (Source: Freedom News)

On June 16, 2000, a military column from SPDC IB 232, seized and took away Saw Lu Lu, from Pwee-kee village, Toun-goo District, Karen State. (Source: KIC)

On July 3 2000, SPDC troops from LIB 207 entered May Du Nwe Kee area, Papun District, Karen State and captured and took Naw Yaw, age 33, Naw Nee Aye, age 12, Naw Balay, age 2, Naw Paw, age 22, Naw Paw Day, age 10, and Naw Day, age 6. (Source: KWO)

On July 7, 2000, in Doo-pla-ya District, Karen State, troops from SPDC IB 709 captured and took away Ler-dwer villagers Mauk Shway, Par Ta Kweh, Par Taw, Tar Too, Par Nay, Naing Par Nyo, Par Cha Meh and Par Day Thu. As of August 15, 2000 the villagers had not been released. (Source: KIC)

On July 8, 2000, IB 372, which had been operating in Tat Moo, Kawut Hta and Ta Nay Ler Hko villages, captured villager Hset Than Shwe and his family. The troops had ordered them to go and get an automatic rifle, and when the family failed to get such a weapon, they captured the family and did not allow them anything to eat and confined the family head Hset Than Shwe. (Source: TIR)

On September 21, 2000, troops from SPDC IB 20 came into Ko-khor-doe village, Toun-goo District, Karen State and took two villagers hostage without reason. The villagers were, Saw Pah Hot M, 17, son of Saw Tha Kway and Saw Hser Gay, M, 20, son of Saw Ah Koe. (Source: KIC)

On October 20, 2000, company commander Bo Tin Hla from SPDC " Bala " guerilla unit forced 10 villagers from Pa-ya-gon, Ta-laing-aing, Gwa-aing and Hle-lan-koo villages in Tan-ta-bin township, Toun-goo District, Karen State to go along with their army column. (Source: KIC)

On November 21, 2000, thirty SPDC troops from IB 98, led by Lieutenant Maung Htway, came to Tar-hu-lo village, Pa-pun District and forcibly took villagers Pee Mar Lweh, 75, Saw Ler Heh, 23, and Naw Than Tin, 20, to Martaw village, and extorted 150,000 kyat. (Source: KIC)

On December 3 2000, a combined troop of SPDC LIB 246 and DKBA soldiers entered Mee Yah Tah village and Tee Plaw Kee village, Mone Township. They shot into the village and captured Saw Eh Gaw Paw and Saya Daw Hmen’s family. (Source: KWO)

On December 5, 2000, troops led by Lieutenant Tin Myint from SPDC LIB 341, came to Kyo-ko-doe village, Dweh-lo Township, Pa-pun District, Karen State and seized and took away 8 villagers.(Source: KIC)

In January 2000, a well-armed combined column from the Loikaw based LIB 216 and Nwalavoe based IB 54, arrested 17 innocent villagers of six different villages in Loikaw Township, Karenni State. The SPDC troops accused the villagers of having contact with rebels, illegal according to the military junta Act 17/1. As of April 2000,the whereabouts of these villagers remained unknown. The arrested villagers were;

- Meo Reh, Sei Reh, Her Reh, Kaw Reh, Pah ki and Mah Reh from Nawn Lon village
- Ai Ko and Kei Reh from Payapyu village
- Mya Thu from Linphon village
- Tin Hla and Myo Min from Wamphan village
- Kan Oo, Pru Hah, Maw Reh, Bew Reh, and Hla Raw from Kunnah village
- Aung Lwin from Wam Ngaw village. (Source: KNAHR)

On January 17 2000, a column of troops from LIB 516, entered Pahoe village, Lopwa Koe District, Karenni State and arrested 24 people of four families. These innocent villagers were accused of supporting the Karenni troops and then forced to accompany the troops. No one knew where the villagers were taken to. The arrested people were; Saw Kolay May, Naw Htoo Ler, Kwar Mu Htoo, Naw Sheku Htoo, Naw Pupu, Daw Ei Paw, Wah Mu Htoo, Nae Neh, Lay Lay, Oo Nu, Tae Htoo, Klar Htoo, Nae Gyi Kar, Kat Nemu, Nae Lo Htoo, Mu Mwepaw, Saw Tee Mu, Ko Ro, Nae Kae El and her newborn child, Saw Poe Htoo, Naw Tae Paw, Naw Mutu, Saw Mler Htoo and Hser Say Htoo. (Source: KNAHR)

On January 19 2000, a company of troops from LIB 516 entered Sakwe Thedoh village, Lopwakoe province, Karenni State and arrested five villagers. As of April 2000, their whereabouts remained unknown. 
(Source: KNAHR)

On February 10 2000, Eight residents of Prusoe city, Karreni State were arrested by troops from LIB No. 531. They were accused of being involved in tax collection for Karenni troops. As of April 2000, all but Kan Min, age 38, had been released. There was no information on his whereabouts. (Source: KNAHR)

On February 25 2000, a combined patrol of troops from IB 332 and IB 102 led by Maj. Nyan Myint captured, interrogated and tortured 7 innocent villagers from Wan Kun Moung, Wan Nong tract, Mong Nai Township, Shan State. The troops accused the villagers of sympathizing with a Shan resistance group. On February 28, at 11 AM, the villagers were sent to Nam Sarng. As of the end of March 2000, the fate of the villagers remained unknown. The victims were:
- Kar-wi (m), age 35
- Hsaw Nan Ta, (m), age 45
- Aw Htamma, (m), age 20
- Saw Nanda (m), age 35
- Kung Ma Put (m), age 45
- Loong Ta Pang (m), age 50
- Loong Ta Phi (m), age 46 (Source: SSANews)

On March 11 2000, at 8 AM, 28 SPDC troops on patrol from Laikha Township captured 4 innocent villagers in their paddy fields at Pang Oo Sae tract, Laikha township, Shan State. The victims were tied up and beaten with rifle butts and sticks. They were then tied up in pairs until March 12, when they were forced to follow the troops as porters to carry rice. The 4 victims were:

- Loong Phit, age 48, whose arm was broken due to the beating
- Aw Ta, age 25
- Sarng Loo, age 18
- Sarng Lu, age 35

As of the end of April 2000, no news had been received of their whereabouts after they were taken as porters. (Source: SSANews)

On April 1 2000, Mr. Abdur Rahman of Kaw Kyaik village, Pa-an Township, Karen State was arrested and later disappeared. He had been appealing to higher authorities of the SPDC to spare their mosque from destruction. Kaw Kyaik village consists of about 80 Muslim houses, a mosque and about 300 non-Muslim houses. Local DKBA authorities had ordered the destruction of the mosque. Moreover, the authorities in that area have been seizing much of the Muslim land and selling it off. (Source: MICB)

On April 6 2000, about 170 soldiers of LIB Nos 531, 250, and IB Nos. 54 and 72, went to Htee Thaw Tanee and Phukraku villages, Karenni State and arrested two village heads and one villager. They were brought to Prusoe City by the troops, but their subsequent whereabouts remained unknown as of April 2000. (Source: KNAHR)

On April 10 2000, a group of SPDC troops arrested a civilian with an accusation that he had contact with the insurgents and sent him to the Papun SPDC court where he was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour. The SPDC troops were from IB 19 who were led by Lt. Win Oo. According to a relative, the accused, Ko Than Hlaing was them sent to the Rangoon-Insein jail. However, his present whereabouts is unknown to his family since then. Ko Than Hlaing was from Kadinettee village, Papun township, Karen state. (Source: MICB)

On April 18 2000 the military seized and carried away (1) Serajul Haque s/o of Abdul Ghani (2) Rashid s/o Kaseim (3) Rafique s/o Lukman Hakim, all of them Sandama, a large Rohingya village near Akyab (Sittwe) in Arakan State. Their whereabouts is still not known. In addition, the SPDC forces are now hunting 15 other villagers, including religious leaders, who have gone into hiding to escape arrest and torture. (Source: ARNO)

On May 22 2000, SPDC military intelligence officers arrested U Tun Sein (40 years) and U Do wa (35 years) of house No.341, near main mosque of Mandalay, accusing them of having contact with the NLD. According to a trader, their whereabouts are still unknown. (Source: MICB)

On May 26 2000, SPDC military intelligence (MI-25) officers arrested U Than Tun (40 years) of Shwe Gu town, Sagaing division. According to a trader, he was accused of being in contact with the NLD. His whereabouts remain unknown. (Source: MICB)

On May 26 2000 ,a column of SPDC troops from Strategic Column (2) under the command of No. 8 Strategic Administrated Command, led by Maj. Soe Thet, arrested the chairman of Mayan village, Yebyu Township, Mon State under the accusation that he was a rebel-supporter. He was arrested following an event where the SPDC troops were ambushed by Mon troops near Mayan village. As of the end of June 2000, he had not released and had disappeared. (Source: HURFOM)

On May 30, 2000, SPDC troops from LIB 273 led by battalion commander Col. Htin Kyaw, entered Sinswe village, Yebyu Township, Mon State and arrested two men, accusing them of being rebel-supporters. According to villagers, these two men were innocent farmers who had no background or relationship with the Mon rebel group. The two men were Nai Krot (28 years old) and Mehm Kun Blai (18 years) who were born in Sinswe and helped their families in their paddy farms. After the arrest, the soldiers tortured these two men to get them to admit that they were rebel soldiers. Then the soldiers took them away to another village, even though they were in severe pain from the torture. As of the end of June 2000, those two men had not been released and they were feared to have been killed. (Source: HURFOM)

On May 30 2000, some SPDC military Intelligence (MI-25) officers arrested two Muslims in Myitkyina, Kachin state. According to a Kachin trade, the officers arrested (1) U Salim (32 years) and (2) U Muatafa (30 years) of Myo Ma (village) Block No.5, accusing them of having contact with NLD. The whereabouts of these two are still unknown. (Source: MICB)

On June 1 2000, SPDC officers of the MI-25 arrested three Muslims from Taunggyi, Shan state of Burma accusing them of having made contact with anti-S:DC groups. According to a Buddhist trader from Taunggyi, the three Muslims, (1) U Than Tun (40 years), (2) U Zaw Oo (28 years) (3) Ko Thaa Thaa (26 years) were living in Taunggyi, near main Taunggyi mosque. Their whereabouts remain still unknown. (Source: MICB)

On June 5 2000, SPDC MI officers arrested Ko Tun, a medicine store owner in Myittila town, Mandalay division. According to a neighbor, the officers seized about 100,000 kyats worth of medicines from the shop of Ko Tun who was accused of having contact with NLD. His whereabouts remained unknown as of October 2000. (Source: MICB)

On July 30 2000, SPDC MI officers arrested three Muslims with 1.8 million kyats in Rangoon who disappeared since then. According to a relative, the three Muslims were coming from Bassein (Pathin) by steamer to Rangoon for shopping who were arrested at 10 AM, at the Kili jetty in Rangoon. They were arrested by the MI officers led by sergeant Aung Khaing and the whereabouts of them remain unknown. The three Muslims, U Win Aye (28 years), U Amin (30 years), and U Ya Sin (40 years) were from Pali Gyi (village), Bassein, Irrawaddy division. (Source: MICB)

On August 5 2000, SPDC officers looted 1.1 million kyats from two Burmese Muslim merchants in Pegu division. The officers led by Lt. Thant Zin, who looted the money from the Muslim merchants handed over the merchants again to the Military Intelligence of Pegu Myo. The two Muslims, since then, disappeared. The two Muslim merchants were Ko Tun Aung Lat (28 years) and Ko Win Hlaing (32 years) from Nat sin Gong street, Ben Hlaing Village, Thaton township, Mon state. (Source: MICB)

On September 16 2000, SPDC authorities arrested two Burmese Muslims who disappeared since then in Pegu division. The authorities led by MI officer U Win Lwin and Pegu main police station officer, U Hla Khin accused them of having close contact with the NLD. According to relative, the two Burmese Muslims were U Thaung Tun (47 years) and U Hla Aung (45 years) of Yadana street, Paligyi (main mosque) black village, Taung Ngo Myo, Pegu division. (Source: MICB)

On September 22 2000, Burmese junta’s authorities arrested two Burmese Muslims who have since disappeared in Mon State. The authorities led by police intelligence officers of Moulmein, Mon state arrested the two Burmese Muslims without giving any reasons. The intelligence officers were led by U Hla Aung and sergeant Win Hlaing. When the families of the two men traced the whereabouts of the two Muslims, the police authorities said that they had handed over the two Muslims to the military intelligence No.5 of Moulmein Myo, Mon state of Burma. The two Burmese Muslims were U Mahamood (29 years) and U Kadir (25 years) of Hlaing Tha Ya street, Daing Win Gwin Block (8), Moulmein Myo, Mon state. (Source: MICB)

On September 23 2000, Burmese Junta’s authorities arrested the leading Imam of the mosque and its caretaker in Kachin state of Burma. The authorities led by Ban Maw main police station. chief, U Tun Aung Lin arrested the two Muslim religions persons on the allegation that they had connection with the NLD. The leading Imam of the mosque was Imam Saya Sadi (48 years) and the caretaker, U Ya Sin (42 year) of Pari street, Block No. 8, Ban Maw Myo, Kachin state. The whereabouts of he two religious personalities remain unknown since then. (Source: MICB)

On October 4 2000, a group of military officers arrested two Burmese Muslim cattle traders in Karen state of Burma. The officers led by Major Thet Naung and sergeant Aung Thinn of Battalion No. 208found 500,000 kyats in the Muslims’ possession and brought them to Dowlant military camp in Kawkareik township of Karen state and later the two Muslim traders disappeared. The two Muslim traders were U RAhman (37 years) and U Khalid (40 years) of Khaya village, Kawkareik township, Karen state. (Source: MICB)

On October 6 2000, Burmese military authorities arrested three young Burmese Muslim religious scholars who disappeared in Tenessarim Division. The authorities were led by Lt. Aung Moe of Company No.4, Battalion No. 81. The three young Burmese Muslim religious scholars were U Amin (23 years), U Zaw Win Han (20 years) and U Yi Lwin (21 years) of Than Pyu Ywa Lay village, Ye township, Tenassarim division. (Source: MICB)

On December 16 2000, SPDC troops from the 99th Brigade abducted a villager named Sai Korn Pung Nya, age 25, son of Loong Nu and Nai Yaen from Wan Kong Hoong, Parng Sarng tract, Lai Kha township, who was hired as a gardener near Wan Kong Hoong village. He disappeared after the capture. As of March 2001, it was still unknown whether he is alive or dead. (Source: Freedom News)

On December 17 2000, SPDC troops from the 99th Brigade seized an innocent villager named Sai Sarng Orn. He was dragged with the SPDC troops to Haam Ngai base, Murng Kerng Township, Shan State. After knowing the news the relatives of the captured villager headed to Haam Ngai base for information. The SPDC told them that he had been recently released, but as of the end of March 2001, he had not returned home. The villagers believed he was probably murdered by SPDC. (Source: Freedom News)

In early January 2000, Burmese police and military intelligence officers raided a monastery in the border town of Tachilek and arrested a group of monks. It was not known exactly how many were arrested, but sources said that more than a dozen young monks from the Aung Daw Moo Monastery were disrobed and subsequently taken to a prison in the Shan State town of Kengtung. The sources also revealed that about 20 automatic rifles were seized at the monastery, where many of the monks are ethnic Arakanese from Arakan State. The state-run media did not report the crackdown. However, a source close to the authorities reported that the monks received six-month sentences. Two senior monks from the temple were still at large, according to the source. (Source: Irrawaddy)

On the night of March 4 2000, personnel belonging to the Western Area Command No.14 arrested two Buddhist monks for alleged possession of sophisticated pistols and anti-SLORC propaganda leaflets. The two monks were taken to the Tactical Operation Command headquarters where they were disrobed and tortured. Later the SPDC authorities alleged them as the members of the armed opposition group. (Source: ARNO)

On May 12 2000, Capt Nyunt Maung and party from MI-19 in Mergui District arrested 10 monks for their refusal to beg for alms and to give religious sermons outside their monasteries. Those arrested were from Kanbwayathti Yadanabommi Pariyatti Sartintaik and Naukleyathti Wettaikkyaung Sartintaik in Mergui. Earlier 19 monks had been detained after the start of the monks’ protests on May 9. (Source: DVB)

The following NLD members were arrested on 29 April, 2000 by the police in Taung Twin Gyi township, Magwe Division.  They were sentenced to long term imprisonment on 10 May, 2000. They were seriously beaten during interrogation in the MI interrogation center. They are:

Appendix # 1
They were all sentenced under 234/ 2000, 5J, and given prison terms of 7 years including

They were all sentenced under 234/ 2000, 5J, and given prison terms of 7 years including hard labor. Their prosecutor was Myint Lwin, the chief of  Taung Twin Gyee police station. They were charged with giving subversive public speeches, intentionally trying to destabilize the State Law and Order, and with poisoning the peoples’ minds in order to destroy their moral principles. They were sent to Thayet prison on May 11,2000 with the following 25 detainees, all from Taung Twin Gyee township, who were questioned  at  No 103 Lib-Infantry Battallion and were detained because of the political reasons.  It is not yet clear what charges are against them, or whether they are under trial or not. They are:
The above 25 detainees were released 2 months later, in July 2000. (Source: AAPP)

Appendix # 5

Partial list of students and youth punished with the death sentence by military tribunals because of activities for Democracy and human rights

Appendix # 6

Some of the political prisoners who remain imprisoned after the completion of their prison term.

1.Min Ko Naing {Conqueror of king}
2. Ko Ko Gyi.
3. Zaw Min (a) Arebye
4. Thet Htun
5. Myat San
6. Zaya
7. Thaung Htaik (or) Hmone Gyi
8. Yin Htwe (or) Pyaung Gyi
9. Htay Kywe
10. Maung Hmaine (or) Min Hlaing
11. Khin Maung Ye (or) Tin Aye
12. Bo Bo Han
13. Ba Htoo Maung
14. Dr. Zaw Min
15. Zaw Zaw Aung
16.KoTinAye Kyu
17. Soe Moe Hlaing (or) Mae Gyi
18. U Htay Thein
19. Ko Myint San (Source: AAPP, March 2000)