11.02.2007
Doctors Behind Bars
Women of Burma (UK), with the help of Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma), is organizing a campaign to petition for the release, as well as providing support, for medical doctors who have been in prison for their outspoken views against wrong doings of the corrupt military regime in Burma.
The following is some information about a few imprisoned dissident medical doctors, compiled by the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma).
Dr. Than Nyein
Constituency: Kyauktan, (1), Rangoon
Date of Birth: 18 October 1936
Parents: U Maung Sein
Detail: _
On 21 February 1997,police from Thaketa Township detained Dr Than Nyein, an elected representative of the NLD from Kyauktan Constituency-1. U Than Nyein has been charged with violating Article 9 (1) C of the 1972 Burma Health Act. The Thaketa Township NLD Organising Committee reported the following details to party headquarters: _
On 20 January 1997, Dr. U Than Nyein, Vice- chairman of the Rangoon Division Organising Committee and leader of the Kyauktan Township Organising Committee, paid a registration fee of 200 Kyat to open a private clinic as is required by government regulations. His clinic was at 38 Zeya Mingalar Road, Thaketa Township and he was opening it to earn money to support his family. Dr. Than Nyein was forced to retire from his position as a doctor because of his involvement in the 1988 uprising. While he was running a private clinic in Thakayta Township in Rangoon, the military authorities arrested and charged him for not paying the registration fee for his private clinic. He was charged under the 1972 People's Health Affairs Act Article 9 (1c) and the authorities released him after he paid a fine. The NLD said that the authorities targeted him and did not arrest or charge other clinic owners.
On 16 February the Thaketa Township police chief and town health authorities went to his clinic when he was out and placed a lock on his cupboard where he stored his medicines. The same officials returned to his clinic the following day with about 15 people while Dr. U Than Nyein was not there. they opened the clinic with a duplicated key and confiscated his medicines and medical equipment. At 7:00pm on 21 February the authorities arrested Dr.U Than Nyein at his home and held him at Thaketa police Station. That morning a meeting had been held at the office of the Township LORC in Thanlyin regarding the registration of private clinics. The Thanlyin District Medical Chief told all the prospective operators of new clinics that the decision to allow them to open their clinic had been postponed effective from that day. He stated that he had not been given permission to let the doctors open the clinics yet, even though they had all paid their registration fees.
Dr. May Win Myint
Sex: female
Prison: Insein
Dr. May Win Myint participated in 1988 nation wide democracy uprising. She became an active high ranking member in NLD and was elected in 1990 election from Mayangone constituency (2), Rangoon. She boycotted the military regime sponsored National Convention in December 1995 along with other NLD MPs.
On October 28, 1997, she and NLD members went to the Mayangone Township NLD office branch for a founding meeting of local NLD youth wing. The authorities did not allow them for the meeting and forced them to remove from their way. Later that night, the military intelligence persons arrested that night, her and other 7 members. The authorities accused them of disrupting of peace and stability of the country. They were sentenced to 7-year imprisonment each under section 5/j (of the 1950 Emergency Provision Act) and they had been denied access to legal counsel. At that time, she was the in charge of Central Women Wing.
Dr. May Win Myint, daughter of Thaung Nyunt, was born on March 8, 1950 in Moulmein, Mon State.She graduated in Medicine from Rangoon Institute of Medicine in 1976 and worked as a part-time Doctor for North-Okkalapa and Kyauktada Co-operative Clinics from 1978-81 and also at Rangoon General Hospital from 1981-883. From 1983-88 she worked at the Handicap Hospital.
Dr. Zaw Myint Maung
Father's Name : U Chit Maung
Sex :male
Prison :Mandalay
Date of Birth : December 11, 1951
Dr Zaw Myint Maung is currently under detention after being arrested for attending meetings in Mandalay in 1990 to form a provisional government. He was charged under Penal Code Article 122(1) and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. The Election Commission dismissed him from Parliament on 27 November 1991 and banned him from running in future elections.
In March 1996 while in Insein Prison, he and other political prisoners were sentenced to a further 7 years jail. They were charged under the 1950 Emergency Provision Act, Article 5(E), for producing a magazine marking the 75th anniversary of Rangoon University, and a magazine entitled New Blood Wave.
Maung was also found in possession of a letter addressed to the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma, Professor Yozo Yokota, which detailed the situation of political prisoners in Insein Prison. In relation to this second charge, Dr. Zaw Myint Maung was interrogated by MIS officers in prisoners in prison and was tortured and badly beaten.
Dr. Zaw Myin Maung, the son of U Chit Maung, was born on December 11, 1951. He graduated from Mandalay Institute of Medicine in 1979. He was in charge of the Yurthitgyi Hospital, Sagaing Division and worked as a Chemistry Lecturer at Mandalay University from 1983-88. He participated in 1988 democracy uprising and later joined the National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi. In 1990 general election, he was elected in Amarapura constituency (1).
Dr. Win Aung
sex = male
constituency = Shwe-bo Khin Oo, Sagaing
organization = National League for Democracy
position = Township Chairperson
Sentence = 10 years
sentencing date = 08 July 2005
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