Thursday, 13 October 2011 21:19 Phanida
(Interview) – Six political prisoners out of a total of 59 prisoners were released from Mawlamyine Prison in Mon State on Wednesday under Burma’s presidential amnesty. Two of the six political prisoners are from two ethnic armed groups: Saw Tun Win of the Karen National Union and Zaw Htike of the New Mon State Party.
Phyo Phyo Aung, another newly released political prisoner, was a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), an underground group. Thet Oo, 48, a former member of a Burmese student armed group, the All Burma Students' Democratic Front, was also released. He was arrested in 1997 and sentenced to 26 years in prison. He served 14 years before he was released under the amnesty. Mizzima talked with Thet Oo about his release and political views.
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| Freed political prisoner Thet Oo says he will now work to help the remaining political prisoners in Burmese prisons. Photo: Mizzima |
Question: How did they inform that you would be released under the presidential amnesty?
Answer: They did not inform me. Neither I nor my family was informed by the prison authorities. Shortly before 8 a.m. we were told that we would be released. We were taken from the prison ward to the main prison gate. Authorities spoke to us there. At around 11:30, we were released, and we left through the prison gate.
Q: Do you know how many political prisoners were released?
A: Six political prisoners were released from Mawlamyine Prison. One of the political prisoners was handicapped. He is the brother-in-law of Ashin Gambira. He’s missing one arm and one leg. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
Saw Tun Win from Myawaddy and Zaw Htiek from Mudon were arrested in connection with activities involving the Karen National Union and Mon group respectively. They were sentenced to seven years in prison. The remaining newly released political prisoners are Maung Maung and Myint Shwe.
Q: Why were you arrested?
A: I compiled information about events in the country and sent them to the ABSDF [All Burma Students' Democratic Front] led by Moe Thee Zun. At that time, Win Min, Lwan Ni, Moe Thee Zun, Aung Thu Nyein, Aung Naing Oo and Zaw Min managed the activities inside the country. I worked inside the country. On January 1, 1997, a photographer was arrested. When he was interrogated, he revealed my activities. I was arrested by intelligence officers on January 2, 1997.
Q: You said you compiled information inside the country and sent it outside the country? What kind of information?
A: In 1994, 1995 and 1996, I tried to compile obscure information. In the prison, I heard that the flow of information was good. Before I was arrested, [Burmese] media had not been developed. At that time, Radio Free Asia [Burmese Service] had just started. Moe Thee Zun built links with AP and sent our information to it.
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| Freed political prisoner Thet Oo says he will now work to help the remaining political prisoners in Burmese prisons. Photo: Mizzima |
Q: How many years were you sentenced to prison and under which sections of the Penal Code?
A: Under section 5/j, 17/20, 17/2, 420 and 468. For possessing two passports and a fake national identification card. Five sections. I was sentenced to 26 years in prison. I served 15 years.
Q: How many prisons have you been transferred to?
A: First, I was imprisoned in Insein jail. One year after that, I had to move to Myingyan Prison. I was there for four years. After my elder brother’s petition about my health, I moved to Insein Prison. I was there until 2009. In July 2009, I had to move to Mawlamyine Prison.
Q: How is your health now?
A: Now I suffer from arthritis and my heart is weak. I have taken medicine for those two diseases.
Q: What is your opinion on the amnesty?
A: I’m not happy. I’m not happy because many of my comrades are still in prisons. Because my comrades are still imprisoned in the 42 prisons in Burma, I am not happy, and I don’t have any feeling. I’ve spent many years in prison. I was imprisoned for 15 years. We steadfastly resisted, that’s why I don’t have feelings. But I feel sorry for my comrades who are still in the prison.
Q: What do you plan to do in the future?
A: My main aim is to reveal the oppression in prisons for the sake of the people who are still there. I will disclose the oppression. Another aim is that we’ll set up a library to nurture the new generation and distribute knowledge among them. I’ll cooperate with others. Presently, I’ll do my activities not as a member of the Democratic Party for New Society or a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions. They may contact me, but I’ll put their offers aside for now. I aim to do what I can legally do inside the country.
Q: You said you would reveal the oppression in prisons. What kind of oppression are you referring to?
A: To speak frankly, although they said they were trying to improve prison conditions, their words are no more than skin-deep. I felt deeply about the oppression only after I was imprisoned. I mean other types of prisoners [ordinary prisoners] are also human beings. I think we all are equal. In those cases, they [authorities] are not fair.
For instance, the prisoners are forced to serve as porters, and they have to work at labour camps without their consent. If a prisoner doesn’t want to labour, they need to bribe the authorities. If prisoners want a good place, they need to give money. I will reveal the bribery and corruption connected with the prison authorities and the physical assaults in prisons. For instance, if a newcomer does not want to labour, they will ask for 150,000 kyat (about US$ 140).
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