15th August 2010

PRESS RELEASE

The Ex-Political Prisoners of Burma have joined together in an unprecedented call for help
from the international community ahead of the elections in Burma set to be held on
November 7. The Ex-Political Prisoners, now living in camps on the Thai Burma border, fear
forced repatriation from Thailand to Burma after the election and are desperately seeking
assistance that is currently unavailable from the UNHCR for a safe haven, if only temporary,
in a third country.

The Ex-Political Prisoners currently have limited access to UNHCR to claim refugee status
due to policy agreements between UNHCR and the Royal Thai Government.

The fear is that the Thai Government could repatriate all refugees back to Burma after the
November 7 elections on the basis that the elections have created a legitimate Government in
Burma. The Ex-Political Prisoners claim that the election will be a sham. Many potential
candidates have been banned and Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest.

The elections will change nothing, they claim, but simply install the junta under false
pretences for a number of years to come. During this period any repatriated ex-political
prisoners fear that the Junta will again persecute them.

“There are multiple examples of forced repatriation from Thailand, a violation of the
Principle of Non-Refoulement which is a cornerstone of International Human Rights Law.
The Royal Thai Government has clearly stated its intention of repatriating Burmese asylum
seekers following the ‘democratic election’ in Burma. Our fears are well founded and should
we be forced to return, with no recognition from UNHCR, we face certain imprisonment or
death,” the ex political prisoners said in a signed letter to human rights organizations around
the world.

NOTE TO EDITORS: We plead for your help. Please publish the attached letter or an article
exploring our situation so that the general public is aware of the situation we face. Without
help from the international community we have no further options. We have sent this letter
to a number of Human Rights Lawyers and Human Rights Organisations in the hope of
gaining legal representation. Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to
contact our spokesperson Aye Min Soe , also an Ex-Political Prisoner, at
andrewsaisai@gmail.com (ph +66822259968).

Yours sincerely,

The Ex-Political Prisoners of Burma.