Amnesty International Group 15
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Thet Naung Soe freed!

The release of Thet Naung Soe who was adopted by Group 15 on Concord, MA, has been confirmed!!.  He is reported to be suffering from both physical and psychological problems, but is being looked after with the help of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners - Burma.  Amnesty is checking if there is anything we can do for him now that he is out of prison, but, as you know, our ability to operate in any way at all inside the country in a direct way is all but impossible.  Perhaps there is something we can do indirectly. 

As Nancy Lyons has said, the news of his release is a great Thanksgiving gift.   We like to think that the work of Group 15 and other AI local groups in other AI sections played a role in his release.  As Haider Kikabhoy in London wrote in an email confirming TNS's release this morning, it's encouraging to get some good new amidst all the bad news that has been coming out of Myanmar.

Learn more: Journal of Turkish Weekly    The West Australian

Background

Thet Naung Soe (right) and Khin Maung Win (left) were prisoners of conscience in Bumra (also known as Myanmar). They were among students demonstrating outside Yangon City Hall, where, on 8 August 1988, soldiers shot and killed hundreds of students, monks and other protesters peacefully demonstrating against one-party rule. The day before Thet and Khin had reportedly distributed a statement calling for the release of political prisoners, for progress in political dialogue between military ruling authorities and the National League for Democracy (the political party led by Dau Aung San Suu Kyii that won election in 1990, and to whom authorities failed to transfer power) and announcing that Thet Naung Soe was to hold a protest the following day as an exercise of the right to freedom of expression.

Thet, a final year law student, and Khin, a second year student, were both arrested during the protest. Khin was released in the spring of 2005. Thet is still serving 14 years in Insein Prison in Burma. AI Group 15 has been working to win his release since Spring 2004.

On October 23 2002, the two students were tried at a special court in Insein Prison, the main prison for political prisoners in the capital. They had no legal representation and were sentenced under the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act, a vaguely worded emergency legislation which is commonly used to penalize peaceful dissent and effectively criminalizes peaceful political activity. Thet Naung Soe and Khin Maung Win were sentenced to 14 and seven years' imprisonment respectively after an unfair trial. Thet Naung Soe and Khin Maung Win are among at least country, many of whom were sentenced for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, assembly and association.

Protests and Government Suppression in 2007

In October 2007 a million took to the streets for peaceful protests only to be met by violence from Burma's military. Hundreds were killed, thousands arrested, and still people are being hunted down and tortured. This video from October 10 is from Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley who went undercover in Burma to report exclusively on the people's protests and resulting bloody crackdown by Burma's military government, talking to the protesters, filming the bloody crackdown and gauging the mood of the nation. Click here to take action at US Campaign for Burma.

A Brief History of Burma

The country of Burma is lush, rich in natural resources and home to dozens of peoples and cultures. But due to a military government of isolationist economic mismanagement, the 45 million people there live without their human rights and in extreme poverty. Burma has been under military dictatorship since 1962.

Burma is ruled by the military without a formal constitution. After large-scale public unrest in March 1998, thousands of people were killed as members of the armed forces opened fire on demonstrators. In September of 1998 a military coup imposed control. The military proclaimed martial law and imposed severe restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, while at the same time promising elections in May 1990. The NLS won the elections but the military has refused to convene parliament or announce a timetable for the transfer of power to a civilian government.

Amnesty International has been documenting human rights violations in Burma since 1987. Students have a long tradition of political activism in the country and have consequently suffered severe human rights violations. AI believes there are currently around 1,200 political prisoners in Burma. These prisoners are vulnerable to torture and ill treatment, and they are often used as workers in labour camps, where many have reportedly died due to ill treatment.