AAPP  Exposes  the  Prison  Department’s  Cover  Up  of  Prison  Conditions  
 
Information  release  
31  May  2011  
 
AAPP   roundly   criticizes   the   Prison   Department’s   recent   response   to   the   hunger   strike  
that  has  taken  place  in  Insein  prison,  starting  on  22  May.  Rather  than  investigating  the  
concerns  made  by  the  striking  prisoners,  the  Prison  Department  has  instead  continued  
its  culture  of  impunity  by  fabricating  lies  regarding  the  conditions  prisoners  are  held  in.    
 
In  an  article  published  in  a  Burmese  journal,  an  unnamed  authority  from  Insein  prison  
addressed   the   strikers’   demands,   effectively   discarding   their   concerns   with  
reprehensible   distortions   of   the   truth.   For   those   political   prisoners   whose   health  
statuses   have   worsened   due   to   the   inhumane   prison   conditions,   or   have   resulted   in  
death,  the  Prison  Department’s  response  is  a  blatant  affront.    
 
The  Prison  Authority’s  responses  to  the  hunger  strikers’  demands  are  as  follows:  
 
1. The  Thein  Sein  administration  purportedly  spends  288  lakhs  ($28,800)  per  day  
for   prisoners’   food.   U   Zaw   Win,   Director   General   of   Prison   Department,   said  
there  are  248,664  prisoners  held  in  prisons  across  Burma.  If  this  number  were  
accurate,  that  would  translate  into  58  kyats  per  prisoner  per  day,  the  equivalent  
of  ten  cents.    
2. It  was  expressed  that  the  food  provided  to  prisoners  are  nutritious  and  sufficient  
for  their  dietary  needs.    
3. The   Prison   Authority   claimed   they   spray   the   prisons   once   a   week   with  
insecticide.  For  security  and  financial  reasons,  neither  mosquito  nets  nor  electric  
fans  can  be  provided.  
4. It   was   mentioned   that   prisoners   are   allowed   to   use   stationery   and   write  
messages,  they  just  need  to  visit  the  prison  office.    
5. It  was  expressed  that  family  visits  are  not  censored.  
6. Uniforms  are  already  provided  to  all  prisoners,  so  there  is  no  need  for  new  ones.    
 
“There   is   a   disturbing   pattern   of   political   prisoners   being   severely   beaten   and  
reprimanded  when  they  demand  better  prison  conditions.  Most  recently,  7  of  the  striking  
political  prisoners  in  Insein  prison  were  sent  to  the  military  dog  cell,  a  type  of  punishment  
cell   that   used   to   house   the   military   dogs.   They   were   released,   only   to   be   returned   to  
solitary   confinement   when   they   refused   to   give   up   on   their   demands.   The   prison  
authorities  are  sending  out  a  clear  message:  we  will  silence  you  by  any  means  necessary.”  
Said  by  Ko  Tate  Naing,  Secretary  of  AAPP    
   
With   this   in   mind,   AAPP   expresses   concern   over   the   conditions   political   prisoners   are  
held   in,   and   demands   the   following   from   the   Union   Solidarity   and   Development   Party  
(USDP)  administration:  
 
1.   The   Prison   Authority   must   ensure   that   the   allotted   food   rations   reach   every  
prisoner.  
2.  To  allow  the  ICRC  to  reenter  the  prisons  to  check  on  the  prisoners’  health.  
3.   To   allow   International   Human   Rights   Organizations   to   enter   and   check   the  
status  of  prisons  and  labor  camps  and  ensure  they  meet  international  laws  and  
standards.  
4.  To  provide  clean  prison  quarters  and  nutritious  food.  
5.  To  separate  political  prisoners  from  criminal  offenders.  
6.   To   reduce   restricted   disciplines   only   towards   political   prisoners   and   to   give  
commuted  dates  to  political  prisoners  as  the  same  as  criminal  offenders.  
 
AAPP   urges   the   international   community   to   continue   its   pressure   on   the   Thein   Sein  
administration   to   immediately   and   unconditionally   release   all   political   prisoners   in  
Burma.  
 
Assistance  Association  for  Political  Prisoners  (Burma)  
For  more  information  -­‐  
Ko  Tate  Naing  (Secretary)                                +66(0)  812  878  751  
Ko  Bo  Kyi  (Joint  secretary)                          +66(0)  819  628  713