‘I wanted to talk with people: That was the biggest desire’

Monday, 24 October 2011 13:38 Kyaw Kha

(Interview) –  Su Su Nway, a rights activist for farmers, workers and child soliders in Burma, was recently released from a 12-year prison sentence in the presidential amnesty. She served a long period of time in solitary confinement. She was in Insein, Kalay and Khamti prisons. While she was in solitary confinement, she urged the authorities to improve prison conditions. Mizzima talked to her after her release about her experiences and current issues.

Human rights activists Su Su Nway, waving, arrives in Rangoon after her release from prison in the recent amnesty. Photo: Mizzima

Question: Please tell us how you were released?

Answer: I was asked to sign a paper, a promissory note 401, which mentioned that if I commit similar offences in the future, I would be sentenced to prison for the remaining terms. I replied why I should sign it. Should I be released with this 401 note, then I can't go I said. I would stay for my full sentence instead of sign the letter. Even after my full term, if I were asked again, I said just sentence me 10 more years instead rather than asking me to sign this. Then the prison chief said it is up to you. And around 9:45 am, they said I will be released even if I don't sign the letter and asked me to pack my belongings. Finally, I was released without signing any agreement.

Q: Was there any negotiations prior to your release from the authority?

A: No. It was said that I would be released before the end of October since around August, and they told me to keep in good health.

Q: How you were arrested and sentenced?

A: The reason I was arrested is I hung a banner underneath a government poster, saying, "Oppose those axe-handlers relying on the U.S." and "Oppose those who maintain pessimistic views." My younger brothers wrote anti-government themes on a cotton sheet, and I hung it under the government slogan board. The police arrived when I took photos of my work and arrested me. There were no female police when I was arrested.

When police arrived at the scene, my younger brothers tried to escape, but Bo Bo Win Hlaing was arrested. He fell down on the street and the police stepped on his back. Then I said, don't touch my younger brothers, I am Su Su Nway and I asked them to arrest me. One of my brothers escaped, but another one was arrested. Then when they got me, stopped beating my younger brother.

When I said I am ready for their arrest, they didn't approach me immediately. They were surprised and I heard that they were reporting to the higher officials: target one, Su Su Nway is surrendering herself to the police, now they got her and what should they do with her. I don't know what the other side said. We were in separate cars and they brought us to Bahan police station.

There were some discrepancies with the real situation and their report to the court, because they reported that when I was arrested there was a female officer handling the scene. Actually, there was no police officer on the scene. I was arrested by 13 policemen headed by Police Col. U Kyaw Sein.

I don’t remember the charges against me, because they charged me with many offences and accused me with whatever acts they wanted, and I didn't say a word. I was sentenced with two charges to a total 12 and a half-year sentence. The first charge against me was for hanging anti-government posters and it was for eight years imprisonment and another charge against me was for my campaign for releasing all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: I was sentenced to four years. Another six-month sentence was for taking a photo.

Q: Please share with us your struggle in the prison as a human right defender?

A: First, after my arrest, I was kept alone in Insein Prison. The ones sent to prison with me were allowed prison visits and parcels. I was denied that right. I protested by entering a hunger strike. After a day of protest, the prison director and the prison staff asked me if I were on hunger strike. I said, yes, and then they said, I cannot be kept here and moved to a room in a separate building. I demanded the right of prison visits and to get parcels, and they agreed. I took foods after three days of protests.

Then I was kept in solitary confinement. I was allowed to get out when my relatives came for prison visits and for official purposes, but most of the time, I was kept in solitary for almost a year. From there, I was moved to Kalay Prison and kept alone. I was allowed prison visits. The deputy prison director came to see me when I was in Kalay. He said, daughter, you are allowed prison visits. You will see your family, and they will come and visit soon. He said it is rather cold in Kalay and asked me to keep in good health. He said the higher authorities decided to send me to Kalay after a meeting. He can't do anything to help me. He just encouraged me to keep in good health.

Q: Were you tortured when you were arrested and during interrogation?

A: Not really. Regional military commander Gen. Wai Lwin came and observed me. He asked his staff to arrange food while in detention. Then Gen. Hla Htay Win came and checked me. He inquired about my condition there. He asked me whether I could help them to lift sanction from Western countries. I said in that case, I have no authority.

He came to see me and my big brother Min Ko Naing at Bahan police station around 12 p.m. They said he met with Min Ko Naing first and came to see me.

Q: You were in solitary in both prisons?

A: When I was relocated to Kalay, there were some doctors and a hospital for medical care. What was worse for me was I was put in solitary confinement. I asked the officials to put me together with other political prisoners. The prison in-charge said they had a large burden in keeping a female in solitary. After four months of imprisonment, I collapsed when I was walking outside of the cell, because I chocked from mucus and I had to take treatments. I was checked with an electro cardiogram and all my clothing was taken off. I asked them don't take photos and when they didn't listen to me, I sent a complaint to the prison in-charge. I told them I am a female and I asked for them to use a female doctor if they have to take ECG and medical examinations next time.

One day, physician Dr. Ko Ko Lwin came and inspected my health. I am always frail, he said, now you are old and you should take Oramin-G. He prescribed the medication with some sleeping aid. One time, when the prison in-charge went to one of the labor camps under his control outside of the prison, the prison medic gave me the wrong medication. He gave me the pills supposedly for medication of the mentally ill girl next door to me.

I complained that they gave me the wrong medication, and as evidence I took the pills. As the pills were for soothing a psychologically active person, I collapsed. I told the prison chief the medic tried to kill me, even though I caused no trouble to others. Two day later, I received the correct medication. I have heard that the medic was sacked from his job. Later I was sent to Khamti Prison.

Q: Did you get proper health care, reading rights and proper living conditions in Khamti Prison?

A: I had a lack of medication for four months, and I felt bad when I got to Khamti. There is no prison doctor in Khamti and no hospital. A medic treated me. I was kept in solitary confinement.

Alone and in ill health, I had to stay strong. I had no one to communicate with and sometimes I was angry with myself. I mainly practiced religion and I prayed all the time. I set up a time-table, what time I will prey, what time I will walk and what time I will read, eat and take a shower, etc. I made myself busy all the. The daily busy schedule offered some respite from living alone.

Su Su Nway is greeted by friends and relatives in Rangoon. Photo: Mizzima

Q: What did you want most during the time of your solitary confinement?

A: Of course, at that time, the most I wanted was a roommate, a friend. I wanted to talk with people, and I wanted to dine together with someone. That was the biggest desire.

Q: What was the main obstacle as a female in prison life?

A: I was insulted for my self-esteem and morals in the prison. I can't answer for those accusations and it was my main difficulty. Even if I explained these accusations, I have no evidence and I can't prove it is the truth.

Q: Why do you think the new government released you and the political prisoners?

A: I think it may be related to President Thein Sein. We all were arrested for our consciousness and for our beliefs. The whole world, the whole country and including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have asked to release the political prisoners. They selectively released us. There are many prisoners left in the prisons, including ill people and the aged and hospitalized. They must be released. Everybody is suffering from some kind of health problems. All political prisoners deserve to be free.

Q: What would you like to say about your other colleagues including Ko Min Ko Naing who are not released yet?

A: The political prisoners struggling for democracy with their own means, including monks, other political prisoners, Ko Min Ko Naing as well, are originally people with good moral character. As they are good in moral character, they know they have to sacrifice their personal economic, social, education and family affairs for the country's freedom. They could even die in prison. Despite that they know they have a high risk of imprisonment, but they are demanding genuine freedom and democracy in the country. For that reason, I cannot enjoy my release. I could not be happy even if they released all political prisoners.

Q: What do you want to say about the new government?

A: During my four years of imprisonment, I just know the actions of the new government through journals and newspapers as a citizen. If the new government is working for the benefit of the country and its people, we will enthusiastically support it. I wish that is the case. For example, if the government releases all political prisoners, we will surely support the president. Now only a few prisoners are released.

Q: What happened in the prison, when the government announced the first and second amnesty?

A: I heard a loud cheer at first, when the prisoners heard the amnesty announcement through a TV broadcast. It was in Khamti Prison. Then it was said the amnesty was for only a year, they felt disappointed. But they sang songs to encourage those who remained in prisons.

All women and girls cried with their sorrow and loss of hope. I encourage them, don't give up, there will be another round of amnesty. I encouraged them, but they couldn't take food. I encouraged them from my cell. They are waiting for the president's amnesty call. But all felt disappointed.

Usually, two baskets of rice needs to be cooked for all prisoners, but they couldn't take food and they cooked only a basket of rice for 4-5 days. The prison authorities and the political prisoners encouraged them; there will be another round. Later they took food gradually. I can say a lot of people are waiting for state amnesty. Again, now the new order is to release only those in old age and ailing, and they felt disappointment again. They feel they can't rely on the president and the state.

Q: Did you still promote human rights when you were detained in prison? Is there any demand for forced labor in the prisons?

A: The government was aware about me. I worked closely with the ILO. When I was in prison, the authorities carefully demanded labor from the prisoners as well as from the staff. The prison staff are also our citizens as well. They are public servants. All public servants who are working in different departments are also human beings as well, working for their salaries and living. They shouldn't be asked to work day and night, and should allow unfair practices. They have their rights as public servants, but they have to work to fulfill orders because they are afraid to complain. Please don't don’t complain, they said, because we are ordering our own staff to work too. As I demanded these rights for the staff, they now enjoy the right to get holidays on Sunday and other religious and special occasions.

If the prisoners were asked to work on Saturday and Sunday, they should have enjoyed a special pardon, to deduct days from their prison terms. They shouldn't be asked to work from 12 noon until 2 p.m. in the afternoon during off-hours. People deserve proper time to sleep, rest and if they have to work on Saturday and Sunday, they must deduct prison days. I asked for these rights.

The prison authorities worried so much that I would know this information. The other prisoners were allowed to be involved with other political prisoners, but they restricted me, because the prisoners who were dissatisfied with their work could report to me.

Q: After your release, can you use a phone and Internet access for communication?

A: I need a phone right away. For accessing the Internet, my younger brothers help me. I cannot use it now. I will learn the tools that can be useful to my work. Whatever I do, I consult with the elders from the office; even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was in detention. I have also consulted with Ko Min Ko Naing and others who are clever and smarter than me. Now they are not near me and I will consult with Suu Kyi whatever I do. I will follow her direction.

Q: When is your birthday?

A: I am now 39 years old; I was born on the 16th of December.

Q: What will you do in the future?

A: Previously I was working for workers, farmers and the rights of child soldiers. I have taken that responsibility at the office. I was terminated from my position of township in-charge at my age of 35. The area I know well is farmers' and workers' rights and child soldiers. That is why they assigned me to these activities. After I take a rest for a while for my health, I will continue the same work. In my free time, I have been trying to get contact with people who are campaigning in the same work. I will go and meet with them for future cooperation.

Q: When you were in prison, how did you feel about your family and friends?

A: I have divided my family and my work. Besides my family, I usually prey for the prisoners of conscience, Aunty Suu and other activists, people who are in exile for their belief and our political colleagues every morning when I get up.

Q: The president verbally welcome people in exile to come back home. What is your opinion; should they return or not?

A: They said they welcomed those who didn't commit any offences. If they (the authorities) practice democracy in the country and welcome these people, anybody can return back. We are not saying now that we are in democracy and come back to the country to work together.

Q: Now there is a law protecting labor rights. Workers can take part in a demonstration?

A: I called the ILO office in Rangoon. They are also happy because I am released. I was reading in newspapers that now the workers are allowed to demonstrate. I cannot go to the office now because of my health problems.

Q: Are there any political prisoners left in Khamti? How about their health situation?

A: In Khamti, there are one female and 10 male political prisoners. There is a monk from Mandalay who is imprisoned for 84 years. All of them are suffering from malaria. For their health problems, some were hospitalized for malaria. I am concerned for them a lot because health care is bad, even the prison staff sometime suffered from the most harmful cerebral malaria.

I prey a lot for them, as many political prisoners are suffering from malaria. I have seen how terrible people suffer from cerebral malaria. I worry for them; Khamti prison is quite different with others.

Q: Some people say with too much labor rights, there could be less foreign investments. How do you see that?

A: It is impossible. Because the labor rights are already promulgated in acts and laws. These acts don't necessarily hamper foreign investments. If they (the authorities) respect labor laws, if there are no violations of the law, we have nothing to fear. That is my opinion from a point of view of a labor activist.