aapp calls to bridge the gap on political prisoner numbers (eng)

8/3/2019 AAPP Calls to Bridge the Gap on Political Prisoner Numbers (Eng)

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AAPP CALLS TO BRIDGE THE GAP ON POLITICAL PRISONER NUMBERS

Information ReleaseNovember 8, 2011

In order for the deep divide on political prisoner numbers to bereconciled, it has become increasingly urgent for there to be a consensus onthe number of political prisoners in Burma. The Assistance Association forPolitical Prisoners Burma (AAPP) fully supports recent statements by Tomas

Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on human rights situation on Burma, thatthe International Committee of the Red Cross should be allowed independentand regular access into Burmas prisons with the aim of investigating thepolitical status of each prisoner in Burma1.

AAPP similarly urges a transparent investigation into the politicalprisoner status of each prisoner by an independent international body, suchas the International Committee of the Red Cross or the United Nations.Before this can happen, AAPP suggests the setting up of a joint committee todetermine criteria of a political offense. In light of the recent release andamid talks that more are to be released in the near future, it is imperativethat an agreement is reached on the number and identity of each political

prisoner before any more releases occur.Many in the international community warmly received the Burmese

governments release of prisoners on the 12th of October as a positive steptowards genuine democratic progress. Of course, AAPP welcomes the freeingof any political prisoner, but maintains the recent release needs to go muchfurther if it is to indicate even a small step towards democracy. Only a fewpolitical prisoners who hold a key role in the democracy and human rightsmovement were included in the release2. Revered ethnic leaders, 88Generation student leaders, elected Members of Parliament, humanitarianworkers, and others who have a crucial role to play in the shaping of Burmasdemocratic landscape and restoration of human rights continue to languish

in prison.A focal point of frustration is the U Thein Sein regimes official stance

of denial of the existence of political prisoners. Other members of the regimehave unofficially used the term political cases to say the number ofpolitical prisoners is grossly exaggerated, inflated, and erroneous. Most

1 Allow ICRC to visit prisons concerning the prisoners lists, Radio Free Asia, 1 November 2011 (in Burmese)2

Those few political prisoners include: Shan State Army leader General Hso Ten, satirist and charity workerZarganar, and labor activist Su Su Nway.

P.O Box 93, Mae Sot, Tak Province 63110, Thailand, e.mail: [email protected], web:www.aappb.org


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recently, the Presidential Advisor told Swedish radio that there are onlyabout 600 political detainees in Burma, and about 300 have already beenreleased on 12 October3. If this is true, then the U Thein Sein regime shouldhave no objection to publicizing their complete prisoner list and providingevidence on the political status of each detainee released.

The yawning gap in the number of political prisoners stems fromdifferences in the definition of a political prisoner between the Burmeseregime and the opposition. AAPP defines a political prisoner as anyone who isarrested because of their perceived or real active involvement or supportingrole in political movements with peaceful or resistance means. AAPPemphasizes the motivation behind the arrest, rather than the law thedetainee has been sentenced under.

Due to the reality of the democracy and reconciliation movement inBurma, AAPP does not use the limiting term prisoners of conscience, whichrefers strictly to individuals who were arrested for peaceful activities. Thisterm, employed by the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission,

significantly diminishes the scale of political prisoners as many have beenwrongfully accused of violent crimes such as murder, bomb plots, or terroristacts4. Political activists are often sentenced under non-violent criminal lawsunder the penal code and would not be considered political prisoners. Inaddition, those imprisoned because of their role in the armed struggle forliberation should be viewed with the backdrop of violent crimes committedby the state, particularly against ethnic minorities.

Under our criteria for a political prisoner, AAPP has documented that1,668 political prisoners are in prison. We are currently verifying each ofthese political prisoners and will publicize the complete political prisoner listonce the verification process is complete. We ask the U Thein Sein regime to

do the same.Until now, political prisoners have been released anonymously

alongside criminal offenders, without any recognition of their political status.The anonymous release of political prisoners whose statuses are debatedmakes the task of verifying how many political prisoners were releasedenormously difficult. Releases that do not recognize the political status of theprisoner undermines the dignity of the political prisoner because they mustcarry the burden of a criminal record throughout their life, thereby tarnishingtheir reputation.

AAPP is the only organization dedicated to providing the most reliabledata on the political prisoner situation in Burma, however there are

significant obstacles that make it extremely difficult to provide exactnumbers. A major impediment is the complete lack of public recordsregarding the arrest and release of any prisoner, criminal or political.

This means that the entirety of our information is based on our home-grown networks that place themselves at great risk to provide AAPP with thedata needed to advocate on behalf of political prisoners. The current number

3Only 600 political prisoners in Burma: Presidents Advisor, The Irrawaddy, 18 October 2011

4same as above

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of inside networks is not enough to handle all the political prisoners in the 42documented prisons. For those prisons that do not have a nearby insidenetwork, AAPP relies primarily on updates from family members. However,families often face obstacles to visiting their imprisoned loved ones, makingthe space between visits wide.

Rather than denouncing the political prisoner lists compiled by otherorganizations, including AAPPs, the Burmese regime has a responsibility toboth the domestic and international community to publicly disclose theirprisoner lists, and provide evidence for each political case they have onfile.

If the Burmese regime is genuine in their claimed intentions inachieving a democracy and initiating the national reconciliation process, thefollowing steps must be taken:

1. ALL those imprisoned for their perceived or real active involvement or

supporting role in political movements with peaceful or resistance means

must be officially recognized as political prisoners.

2. The government must publicly announce who it recognizes as political

prisoners.

3. The political prisoner list must be publicized.

4. All political prisoners must be released unconditionally and allowed to resume

their work, whether political or humanitarian, without fear of harassment.

AAPP is committed to ensuring the recognition and dignity of eachpolitical prisoner in Burma. To this end, we suggest all bodies and

organizations that have been compiling information on political prisoners,including the ICRC, Ministry of Home Affairs, domestic and exiled groups, towork together in a spirit of mutual respect with the aim of bridging the deepdivide on political prisoner numbers.



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Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)

For more information:

Tate Naing (Secretary): +66 (0) 81 287 8751Zaw Tun (EC Member): +66 (0) 89 952 7340


aapp calls to bridge the gap on political prisoner numbers (eng)

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