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Freedom with strings attached |
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by Myo Gyi
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Monday, 23 February 2009 22:33 |
The Burmese military regime announced that they would release 6313 prisoners and began releasing them since Saturday, February 21. Among them, a prisoner of conscience said he was freed with strings attached.
Pe Sein, age 74, Organizer of the 'National League for Democracy' (NLD) party Monyin branch, Kachin State, said that he was freed with strings attached.
He said he was made to sign on a bond in accordance with section 401(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (parole) and was released from Myitkyina prison on Saturday.
He was arrested on 27 September 2007 during the monk-led protests, later known as the popular 'Saffron Revolution'.
He was charged under section 505(b) of the Penal Code for committing crime against public tranquillity and was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a summary trial.
Mizzima's reporter Myo Gyi, in order to find out more of Pe Sein's meaning of freed with strings attached, interviewed him after he was released from the prison.
Q: Now that you are freed, how is your health?
A: I'm now 74 years old. As an aged person, my health is not perfect. As all my dentures are damaged, I could not eat well, making me suffer from indigestion. Apart from that, there are no serious health problems. I think I'm not so bad. But I haven't yet visited my doctor.
I reached my hometown Moenyin only at about 1 p.m. yesterday. I haven't yet seen any doctors. I plan to go to Mandalay for a medical check-up. I will go for a check-up along with my fellow prison inmate Dr. Zaw Myint Maung from Amarapura who also plans to undergo a medical check-up. He told me to come to Mandalay. So I have the plan to visit Mandalay.
Q: Why do you think the authorities release?
A: We were not released unconditionally, but on condition. They told us that we were released under section 401(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. We had to sign on a bond saying we have to serve again a suspended punishment along with the next conviction. I have the remaining prison term of eight months from my original two years imprisonment. If I am convicted again with another case in the future, I have to serve the remaining suspended prison term –a new punishment for breaching this bond.
Q: Please tell me about your prison experience?
A: My prison experience is not so significant. I was not tortured and there was no persecution against me. I could stay in prison peacefully in a special cell segregated from ordinary criminal prisoners.
Q: Could you read and have the right to information in prison?
A: We could read in prison but we could not listen to the radio. We could read books and other reading materials permitted by the prison authorities. And also weekly journals which were permitted by the jail superintendent with his signature were available to us.
Q: What are your future plans?
A: At the moment, I plan to undergo a medical check-up. I'll take treatment if needed after that. I have both vision and hearing problems. My leg was fractured. I cannot go alone for medical check-up. I need a companion for this trip. I think I need to take care of my own health first at the moment. But I am not disappointed with my party affairs. I have to continue this work also.
Q: They (authority) said the prisoners were released to let them take part in the planned 2010 election. What is your comment on this election?
A: It is, as I said before. We were released on condition, with strings attached. So it is contrary to the freedom and fairness of the 2010 election. I view it like that.
Q: What are your feelings about your fellow colleagues who are left in prison and on the people?
A: Though I was released from prison, I am not happy for myself. I feel very sorry for those who are still in prison. There were three persons including me imprisoned in connection with the 2007 September protests and charged under section 505(b) of Penal Code. Only I was released. Dr. Zaw Myint Maung had been in prison for a very long time. So I think I was in their criteria of 'ageing people' category. I am now 74 years old. Let alone in the entire nation, even my two co-defendants are still in prison so I feel extremely sorry for them. I cannot be happy as many political prisoners are still in prison and I was released with strings attached.
Q: How many political prisoners are there in Myitkyina prison?
A: There are over 20 political prisoners still in Myitkyina prison. But I do not remember all their names. I learnt that there are over 10 prisoners from Rangoon including Ko Zagana. We could not see them. In our cell, there are still about eight prisoners. So the total will be about 20. Even more tragic is the case of Ko Aye Thein who is insane. Another is Ko Hla Myo Naung from 88 Generation Students who lost one eye in the prison. Another one of his eyes will be lost unless he can get treatment in time. So I feel very sorry for them.
Q: What do you think is the reason for your release?
A: I think I am included in their criteria of ageing persons. Not only among political prisoners, no other prisoner in the entire prison in Myitkyina of a total of over 1,000 in number, are older than me. I think I was included in this ageing and disabled category so that they released me from prison.
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