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PRESENTATION TO THE BURMA FORUM CANADA

ON BEHALF OF THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS JAILED IN THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS, and other
LOCATIONS
March 17-18, 2006: Ottawa, Canada.
Ladies and gentlemen:
Members of the Burma Forum Canada and distinguished guests:
It is indeed a great pleasure for me to be here and to bring to your attention some
of the forgotten victims in our struggle for democracy and human rights. Some
might be inclined to refer to these victims as unavoidable and inevitable
‘byproducts’ of the struggle for democracy and human rights - as so-called
‘collateral damage’ of that struggle. However that would suggest that there is
nothing to be done about them. And that is incorrect. We must do all that we can
to aid them.
Just as other respected representatives have expressed and discussed
their concerns and brought forward constructive suggestions, I too have come
today to shine the spotlight on these forgotten victims of the freedom struggle
who are rotting their lives away in foreign jails.
Reports have reached me that 36 freedom fighters of NUPA(25) and the
KNU(11) who risked their lives to liberate their people from the brutal military
junta, have been held in jails in the Andaman islands in India since 1998 and that
there are many others in Bangladesh and Thailand. And there are others in other
countries.
The freedom fighters in the Andaman Islands were arrested for allegedly
transporting military hardware from some point to their bases or for other
reasons. But they have been accused of being gunrunners and some of them of
traveling without proper documents or some other alleged offence in order to
prolong their arrest. It is also said that the Indian and Bangladeshi Intelligence
are on good terms with the Burmese Intelligence for reasons best known to them.
The Burmese Military Intelligence has asked the Indian and Bangladeshi
Intelligence to hand over these detainees to the Burmese government, which in
effect would be a death penalty for these people.
Information I have received indicates that when the detainees in the
Andaman Islands were brought before a court of justice for trial, the presiding
judge ordered their release. But as soon as they set foot outside the prison-gate,
these victims were re-arrested under some other pretext because the Intelligence
or the Army had an interest in the case. Cases like these are treated differently in
India and Bangladesh when the Intelligence services of both countries are
involved.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners -Burma (AAPP –Burma)

is providing help to the families of political prisoners within Burma. But the
leaders of those who fight for freedom and democracy and human rights are
unable to leave their bases to seek the assistance necessary to bring about the
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release of their freedom fighters. As we all know, these comrades are not gun
smugglers. Theirs is a fight is for democracy and human rights against that seeks
to liberate their country from thje brutal military regime of Burma and to protect
innocent civilians.It would be an abuse of them to call them gun runners.
Also we can look at the problem from the other side.It seem that some
real gun runners caught in India have been released. A British national, namely
Mr. Peter Bleach was granted amnesty by the President of India due to the
intervention of the British foreign office and the Honourable Tony Blair, Prime
Minister of Great Britain, who intervened personally in the case. In addition, five
Latvian nationals were set free when the Russian President Mr. Putin
approached the Indians for their release.In any case the emphasis must be on
doing what we can do for those who are currently and unjustly in prison.
We exiles of Burma have no internationally recognized government except
the NCGUB in exile which has very limited power. Our only hope for the release
of these innocent victims is from Amnesty International. Therefore I urge Burma
Forum Canada to form an advocacy group to take necessary step for the release
of those victims rotting in the foreign jails.
Thank you.
Maung Tin

8300,St.Albans Road,
Richmond, B.C
V6y,2k9
Phone: 604-272-5475
Fax : 604-272-5470
E.mail: maungtin@shaw.ca