Ashin Gambira longs for internet and tea

by Phanida

Friday, 13 March 2009 20:04

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Activist Buddhist monk Ashin Gambira serving 68 years in prison, is longing for internet and tea. The 29 year-old monk’s mother Daw Ray who visited Khamti prison in Sagaing Divison on March 9 to see him, said as much and added he is in good health. He talked a lot. ‘I wish to use the internet. I wish to move around freely I want to drink tea and need one more year to complete my studies etc. But I don't mind having sacrificed my freedom and I'm still struggling,’  he was quoted as saying by the 60-year old Daw Ray who travelled  eight days to meet her son. The junta charged the child soldier turned monk for using the internet under the Electronic Law among others and imprisoned him.  He led the street protests in 2007 by reciting Metta Sutra while he was pursuing his 'Dhamasiriya' -- religious study. This is the first ever visit to Khamti prison by his family which cost them about Kyat 650,000 (more than 600 US$) as travel expenses. "We could talk with him for about an hour. He laughed all the time during our prison interview and said that he had not laughed for a long time," Daw Ray said. Meanwhile, Paris based 'Reporters Sans Frontier' listed Burma as the 'enemy of internet' in its report issued today. The military-ruled country was blacklisted by this organization in this context along with other countries such as China, North Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Cuba and Tunisia. The report said the Burmese military junta systematically restricts the flow of information and at least 14 journalists and two bloggers are serving long prison terms in Burma. The health situation of Ashin Gambira was poor late last year and now his family is preparing to appeal against his sentence by consulting his lawyer. The North Dagon Township court sentenced six persons again including U Gambira's brother-in-law and younger brother to five years in prison with hard labour yesterday. His brother-in-law Moe Htet Lian, younger brother Aung Ko Ko Lwin and their colleagues Kyaw Myo Set, Hlaing Myo, Suu Lwin and Ye Nyunt were handed prison terms for illegal border crossing.  < Prev   Next >