The Loneliness of the Long Term Prisoner
The Loneliness of the Long Term Prisoner
Our South-East Asian correspondent writes that the Burmese regime has 1,862 of its citizens whom it accuses of political crimes behind bars. A letter to the Prime Minister asking for change can merit a 21 year prison sentence.
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Ten years ago Lae Lae Nwe was a young university student of physician Yangon (Rangoon) Burma's capital. She also worked part-time as an office secretary. Some of her companions, members of the All Burma Students Federation (ABSF), wanted to do something to promote political change in their country. Burma (or Myanmar) has been controlled by a military dictatorship since 1962. In 1990, the military regime, who thought their own victory was assured - mainly because of fear and manipulation - allowed an election. |
When the party of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory the military imprisoned, exiled or killed the elected politicians and tightened their grip on power. Today Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest in Yangon.
In 1998 one of Lae Lae's student friends, Zin Mar Aung, from the ABSF, an idealistic young woman asked Lae Lae to type on her office computer, a letter of protest they had written. The letter stated that it was time for a change in Burma; the people were getting poorer every year and the military rulers should allow the elected civilian government to take power. The letter was sent to the general who was Prime Minister It was also distributed to some students in the university.
A short while later Zin Mar Aung was arrested. Lae Lae was advised to leave her home. She didn't leave because her parents were not aware that she was in any trouble. On 26 September 1998 Burmese Military
Intelligence (MI) came to Lae Lae's office and arrested her. She was taken away blindfolded to a secret location where she was interrogated for two weeks. She still does not know where it was. She was then moved to Rangoon's infamous Insein Prison. After four months she was brought before a military judge, surrounded by armed police. On that January day in 1999 she was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment for her 'crimes.' She had no legal representation, was not allowed to make any defense, and no friends were present. After six months in Rangoon she was moved first to Mandalay prison, and then to Shwebo, some 500 miles away from home. Here, for the first timer, after nine months in prison, she was able to let her parents know that she was alive, but in prison.
In August 2002, four years after her arrest, Lae Lae was released from prison. The reasons for her release were not given. She was warned that if she were caught involved in 'political activities' again she would have to serve the remaining years of her 21 year sentence. Shortly after her release she made her way across the border into Thailand without papers or passport. She still lives there.
She admits that she still feels angry because of the injustice that was done to her. Why should she be sentenced to 21 years in prison for doing the kind of thing which is the right of every citizen in democratic countries? " In other ways" she smiles, "I suppose I should be grateful to the MI. I became a mature person in prison."
 A prisoner, hooded, shackled and left all day in the sun. |
What was the prison day like? She was not allowed to speak to other prisoners. The food was very bad. Often it was difficult to fight off loneliness.. She was 500 miles away from home in a country where travel is difficult. One remedy against loneliness was to compose poetry and sing songs about home."The few times my mother was able to visit me with my older sister she cried a lot." Because of fear of the Military Intelligence the rest of her family did not visit her.. |
What else helped her survive. "I did a lot of meditation and prayer. I am a Buddhist. This helped me keep a peaceful mind. I used pray and meditate for two hours every day. International organisations had donated books, so after some time I was allowed to read. Often too, the common criminals in the jail found ways to be kind to us and help us."
And what about hopes for the future? "Yes, I continue to hope that perhaps sometime in the next three or four years there may be some change for the better in Burma. But it is absolutely necessary that other countries do whatever they can to help the Burmese people bring about that change." Publicising what is happening in the country is one way to help Lae Lae's friend, Zin Mar Aung. She is now in the tenth year of imprisonment in Mandalay Jail - less than half way through her sentence for her crime of writing a letter to the Prime Minister. When she, and the 2,000 other 'political' prisoners like her are released from Burma's jails and allowed to participate in public life it will be easier to believe that a Constitutional Referendum and promised future elections are something more than window dressing. Sadly, most Burma analysts believe that this is all that will be offered in the near future.
"Political prisoners have not committed more crimes than that of expressing their political beliefs either through word or through action. Some of our political prisoners were arrested on grounds other than those associated with political activities, but we all know that the real reason for their imprisonment was their political affiliation. Until all of
our political prisoners are free none of us can say that Burma is now truly on the road towards democratic change."
Aung San Suu Kyi
 Above centre is Me Me, one of Burma's courageous women leaders who is currently in prison. |
For further information on ways you can help see www.aappb.org the website of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in Burma.