Even as the international community focuses on relief operations in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, forgotten political prisoners are suffering more torture and persecution in prisons, the 'Association of Assistance to Political Prisoners in Burma' (AAPPB) said.
Political prisoners in Insein prison are being beaten up, deprived of their rights, such as walking outside their cells and families are banned from prison visits as the international community remains preoccupied with relief efforts for cyclone victims in Burma, the AAPPB added.
"The international community is paying less attention to political prisoners at the moment since they are focused on the calamity," U Teik Naing, Secretary of Thai based AAPPB said.
During his visit to Burma, UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon did not mention political prisoners which may have sent a wrong message to the Burmese authorities, that the UN is indifferent to the fate of political prisoners in the country, he added.
The prison authorities hooded prisoners of Insein prison Ward No. 5 on May 10. U Tin Mya, U Myint Tun, Ko Thant Zaw, U Kyaw, Ashin Dhamika a.k.a. U Tun Tun were beaten up for refusing to do prison labour. All the political prisoners were sent to solitary confinement in fetters for 10 days, the AAPPB said.
After the fire broke out in Insein prison on May 3, the prison authorities imposed more restrictions on political prisoners along with other prisoners, it is learnt.
"The situation in Insein prison has become terrible after the fire broke out when Nargis cyclone lashed the country. The authorities warned the prisoners that those found with lighted cheroots would be punished with an additional six months in prison. Families would be banned from visiting for three months," a member of NLD Youth and Information department said.
The prison authorities opened fire killing 36 prisoners when Insein prison Ward No. 1 caught fire. A political prisoner Ko Ohn Kyaw died during interrogation for an alleged jailbreak attempt.
Skin and other diseases are rampant in the Women's Ward in Insein prison due to the unhygienic water. The health situation in the Women's Ward is deteriorating given the lack of proper medical care, AAPPB said.
Mizzima was told that U Ohn Than, who is serving a 20 year prison term turned- life imprisonment in Khamti prison, Sagaing Division is suffering from cerebral malaria. He is in solitary confinement and his situation is critical.
"These remote prisons of Khamti and Kalemyo are in malaria endemic areas and have harsh climatic conditions. Malaria can easily afflict new comers. U Ohn Than was transferred deliberately to the prison out of prejudice", U Teik Naing said.
According to the Burma Jail Manual (BJM) prisoners must be kept in prisons nearest to their family members. But the prison authorities violate this provision and send political prisoners to remote prisons such as Khamti, Myitkyinar and Puta-O.
There are over 1,900 political prisoners in prisons elsewhere in Burma, AAPPB statistics said.
The AAPPB has urged the UN and the international community to pay attention, to political prisoners who are suffering while it focuses on relief efforts to save thousands of cyclone victims.
