Release former MP-elect Kyaw Min and his family
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Paris-based National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR) has urged the Burmese government to release Kyaw Min, an elected-MP in the dishonoured 1990 general elections and his family.
Kyaw Min and his wife, two daughters and son are all serving prison sentences under the former military junta. The NDPHR issued a statement on Monday, urging the government to release Kyaw Min from Myinchan Prison. In addition, the government should release his wife, Tizar, his daughters Khin Khin Nu and Wa Wa Khin and his son Aung Naing from Insein Prison, the NDPHR chairman, NDPHR Exile group, told Mizzima.
“Now, Thein Sein’s government wants [the country] to move toward a liberal democracy. They’ve made many changes. We welcomed it,” NDPHR Exile group said. “To make people trust their activities, the first thing they need to do is unconditionally release all political prisoners who were arrested under the former government – as soon as possible as a gesture of goodwill.”
After Kyaw Min joined the Committee Representing People's Parliament [CRPP], he attended CRPP meetings and was arrested for his political activities, said the NDPHR statement. Kyaw Min was arrested on March 25, 2005, after he met with representatives from the International Labour Oranizaiton in Rangoon. His citizenship has been revoked. He was sentenced to 47 years in prison under the Immigration Act and State Protection Act.
Similarly, Kyaw Min’s wife and sons and daughters have had their citizenship revoked. They were sentenced to 17 years in prison for violation of the Immigration Act.
His daughter, Khin Khin Nu, has suffered from liver disease and a heart attack. In October, she was taken to the Insein Prison hospital.
Aung Zaw Tun, who works with a Burmese-based support network for political prisoners, told Mizzima that the reason why they were all sentenced is important.
”Kyaw Min was an elected-MP. He and his family were politically set up [by the authorities]. They were charged under the Immigration Act. Whatever the Act, their [the authorities’] intention was related to politics. We do not care what they were sentenced under as political prisoners. We only see the authorities’ intentions and how the political prisoners are sentenced,” said Aung Zaw Tun.
Kyaw Min is a native of Buthidaung. After he received a bachelor degree in economics from Rangoon University, he worked as headmaster of a Buthidaung Township state middle school and then was named chief of the Buthidaung Township education department.
In the 1990-general election, the NDPHR won four parliamentary seats. Later, the former junta dissolved the NDPHR party.
Last week, Rail Transportation Minister Aung Min said in a meeting with ethnic armed groups that some prisoners including political prisoners would be released on January 4 and February 12.
Kyaw Min and his wife, two daughters and son are all serving prison sentences under the former military junta. The NDPHR issued a statement on Monday, urging the government to release Kyaw Min from Myinchan Prison. In addition, the government should release his wife, Tizar, his daughters Khin Khin Nu and Wa Wa Khin and his son Aung Naing from Insein Prison, the NDPHR chairman, NDPHR Exile group, told Mizzima.
“Now, Thein Sein’s government wants [the country] to move toward a liberal democracy. They’ve made many changes. We welcomed it,” NDPHR Exile group said. “To make people trust their activities, the first thing they need to do is unconditionally release all political prisoners who were arrested under the former government – as soon as possible as a gesture of goodwill.”
After Kyaw Min joined the Committee Representing People's Parliament [CRPP], he attended CRPP meetings and was arrested for his political activities, said the NDPHR statement. Kyaw Min was arrested on March 25, 2005, after he met with representatives from the International Labour Oranizaiton in Rangoon. His citizenship has been revoked. He was sentenced to 47 years in prison under the Immigration Act and State Protection Act.
Similarly, Kyaw Min’s wife and sons and daughters have had their citizenship revoked. They were sentenced to 17 years in prison for violation of the Immigration Act.
His daughter, Khin Khin Nu, has suffered from liver disease and a heart attack. In October, she was taken to the Insein Prison hospital.
Aung Zaw Tun, who works with a Burmese-based support network for political prisoners, told Mizzima that the reason why they were all sentenced is important.
”Kyaw Min was an elected-MP. He and his family were politically set up [by the authorities]. They were charged under the Immigration Act. Whatever the Act, their [the authorities’] intention was related to politics. We do not care what they were sentenced under as political prisoners. We only see the authorities’ intentions and how the political prisoners are sentenced,” said Aung Zaw Tun.
Kyaw Min is a native of Buthidaung. After he received a bachelor degree in economics from Rangoon University, he worked as headmaster of a Buthidaung Township state middle school and then was named chief of the Buthidaung Township education department.
In the 1990-general election, the NDPHR won four parliamentary seats. Later, the former junta dissolved the NDPHR party.
Last week, Rail Transportation Minister Aung Min said in a meeting with ethnic armed groups that some prisoners including political prisoners would be released on January 4 and February 12.
credit : Mizzima
