The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) launched its report on reforming the prison system at a ceremony held at the Royal Rose Hall in Rangoon on 25 September.
The AAPP General Secretary, U Bo Gyi said that the report calls for reform of the judiciary system to make it independent and fair and reform of the police and the prison system.
Because these are issues of national security the AAPP hopes that they can be addressed at the Union Peace Conference (The 21st Century Panglong Conference).
U Bo Gyi said: “Countries that have recently become free from military administration carry out security reforms. They consider not only the armed groups’ issues but also issues of reforming the prison [system] and the police, ensuring an independent and fair judiciary [system], and reducing poverty. The prison issue is one of the issues. That’s why the government, the Tatmadaw [Burma Army] leaders, and the Members of Parliament need to have a wider consideration for security reform.”
The discussion on prison reform was led by The 88 Generation student leader U Ko Ko Gyi, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) general secretary Sai Nyunt Lwin and U Bo Kyi from AAPP, all of whom are former political prisoners.
U Ko Ko Gyi said: “A prisoner is a citizen and a human resource. Even though he has received a prison sentence for various reasons, the law cannot be neglected to the point of him losing his citizen’s rights and human rights. By placing the prisons under the judiciary system, one can inspect and protect against lawless acts.”
The AAPP report, which was written over two years, consists of six chapters, including ones on international norms and rules governing prisons, torture of prisoners, health conditions, prison labour, and visitation rights.
The report also includes a draft Prisons Law written by the AAPP and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS).
U Bo Gyi said that the report is incomplete because while they were compiling the report the AAPP was unable to visit the prisons to gather extra information. He urged the Burmese government to cooperate so that the AAPP could produce a more complete report.
The AAPP was founded by former political prisoners in Thailand in 2000 and it provides assistance to former political prisoners and their families.
Reporting by Saw Tun Linn for KIC News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
