Free All Student Political Prisoners

Chairman
State Peace and Development Council
Chairman, State Peace and Development Council
c/- Ministry of Defence
Signal Pagoda Road
Rangoon, Burma.



Release All Student Political Prisoners in Burma

1. The role of students in Burma has been very significant in Burma's politics, since the students initiated and actively participated in the anti-colonial movements, national independence movements, interna peace and reconciliation movements, and democracy movements. The 1988 pro democracy people power movements in Burma were sparked from the student demonstrations, and they are still struggling for the justice, equality and peace in the country.

2. As a mean to end the student movements, the successive military regime closed down all universities around the country and crashed brutally the peaceful student demonstrations, instead of making dialogues or compromise with the students to meet their demands. At the same time, they arrest, torture, and imprison the students and union activists. Since after the military coup in 1988 Sep, thosands of students were imprisoned, and some have died in while in custody.

3. They peacefully practiced civil rights and citizen rights, for the cause of their country. They are not criminals. All student political prisoners have to released if the military government really wants a national reconciliation. Up to now, estimately over 300 students are still in various prisons and they are badely suffering from physical illness and mental problems because of the terrible prison condition, poor medical treatment, prolonged length of stay in the prisons, and psycological torutures. Since all student political prisoners are not allowed to read and write, according to prison rules and some are systematically isolated from the outside world, they become seriously depressed and incur other health problems. This is particularly in the case of those who were transffered to prisons quite a distance away from their homes and their families.

4. The SPDC needs to make pragmatic moves, rather than spout rhetoric, if national reconciliation in Burma is to begin. The first step in this reconciliation must be the release of all political prisoners in the country. Therefore, we are forcefully demanding the immediate releae of all student political prisoners, such as Myo Min Zaw, Aye Aung, Myo Min Htike and Thet Win Aung. The miltiary regime must be held respnsible for any physical and mental damage suffered by those student leaders.

For the profiles of the students in custody:
http://www.abfsu.net/profilesofstudents