Burmese Junta Sentences NLD Activists

By WAI MOE Friday, October 24, 2008

Win Mya Mya, a well-known pro-democracy activist in Mandalay, and five other members of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) were sentenced to long prison terms on Friday.

The court sentenced the six members of the NLD’s Mandalay Division to up to 13 years imprisonment, Nyan Win, an NLD spokesperson, told The Irrawaddy.

“Daw Win Mya Mya and U Kan Tun received 12 years, and U Than Lwin who was elected in the 1990 election, received eight years in prison,” he said.

Min Thu from Mogok Township, received 13 years; Win Shwe from Kyaukpadaung Township received 11 years; and Tin Ko Ko from Meiktila Township received two years.

According to a Burmese human rights group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the NLD members were charged with Act 505 (B) for meeting with American diplomats and 153 (A) for campaigning for political and human rights and the reopening of NLD offices in the country.

Win Mya Mya is a well-known pro-democracy activist in Mandalay, Burma’s second largest city. Since 1988, she provided food and other material to political prisoners in Mandalay Prison. In return, authorities harassed her family business and arrested her several times during 20 years as a political activist.

She was injured and arrested when Aung San Suu Kyi’s supporters were brutally ambushed by thugs backed by the junta in Depayin, Sagaging Division in northern Burma in late May, 2003. She has been in detention since the September 2007 demonstrations.

Than Lwin, who was a successful candidate for Madaya Township in 1990, is vice-chairman of the NLD's Mandalay Division. He was arrested during the 2007 demonstrations. He was also assaulted when he returned home from praying for the release from house arrest of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi at a Buddhist temple in the township in June 2007.

NLD spokesman Nyan Win said, “They didn’t commit any crimes. So the jail term for them is unjust and unfair.”