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AAPP exposes the prison department's cover up of prison conditions
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) Information Release - May 31, 2011
In an article published in a Burmese journal, an unnamed authority from Insein prison addressed the strikers' demands, effectively discarding their concerns with reprehensible distortions of the truth. For those political prisoners whose health statuses have worsened due to the inhumane prison conditions, or have resulted in death, the Prison Department's response is a blatant affront.
The Prison Authority's responses to the hunger strikers' demands are as follows:
1. The Thein Sein administration purportedly spends 288 lakhs ($28,800) per day for prisoners' food. U Zaw Win, Director General of Prison Department, said there are 248,664 prisoners held in prisons across Burma. If this number were accurate, that would translate into 58 kyats per prisoner per day, the equivalent of ten cents.
2. It was expressed that the food provided to prisoners are nutritious and sufficient for their dietary needs.
3. The Prison Authority claimed they spray the prisons once a week with insecticide. For security and financial reasons, neither mosquito nets nor electric fans can be provided.
4. It was mentioned that prisoners are allowed to use stationery and write messages, they just need to visit the prison office.
5. It was expressed that family visits are not censored.
6. Uniforms are already provided to all prisoners, so there is no need for new ones.
"There is a disturbing pattern of political prisoners being severely beaten and reprimanded when they demand better prison conditions. Most recently, 7 of the striking political prisoners in Insein prison were sent to the military dog cell, a type of punishment cell that used to house the military dogs. They were released, only to be returned to solitary confinement when they refused to give up on their demands. The prison authorities are sending out a clear message: we will silence you by any means necessary." Said by Ko Tate Naing, Secretary of AAPP
With this in mind, AAPP expresses concern over the conditions political prisoners are held in, and demands the following from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) administration:
1. The Prison Authority must ensure that the allotted food rations reach every prisoner.
2. To allow the ICRC to reenter the prisons to check on the prisoners' health.
3. To allow International Human Rights Organizations to enter and check the status of prisons and labor camps and ensure they meet international laws and standards.
4. To provide clean prison quarters and nutritious food.
5. To separate political prisoners from criminal offenders.
6. To reduce restricted disciplines only towards political prisoners and to give commuted dates to political prisoners as the same as criminal offenders.
AAPP urges the international community to continue its pressure on the Thein Sein administration to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners in Burma.
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)
For more information contact:
Ko Tate Naing (Secretary)
+66(0) 812 878 751
Ko Bo Kyi (Joint secretary)
+66(0) 819 628 713
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