To commemorate June 19th Burmese Women's Day, nine members of the Burmese
American Democratic Alliance (BADA) and the Burmese-American Women's
Alliance (BAWA) of the SF Bay Area made a blood donation at the Newark
American Red Cross on the morning of June 23rd.
June
19th is the birthday of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 Nobel Peace
laureate.She leads the National League for Democracy (NLD), and won a
landslide victory in the 1990 general election, but the ruling Burmese
military regime (named the State Peace and Development Council) has denied
the election result to this day.Since 1997, NLD and exiled Burmese groups have celebrated
her birthday as Burmese Women's
Day.
Marking the anniversary of Women of Burma Day 2001, Burmese American
Democratic Alliance - BADA is organizing a blood donation event to be held
on June 23 at the American Red Cross in Newark, California. The detail
information about the event is as follows:
Plece: American Red Cross, 39227, Cedar Blvd,
Newark, CA 94560, Tel: 1800 GIVE LIFE.
Date: Saturday June 23, 2001
Time: 10:00 AM
Contact: Daw
Yee Yee Lay (510)
475-8904, Jean Gale
(650) 756-5887, Daw Khin Nwe Soe
(408)
835-7260, Daw Nam San Kham Win 408 390 5610,Daw Htay Htay Kyi
(408)531-1427
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(June 21, 1999) On her 54th birthday, Burmese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi released a statement, published below, urging the women of her country to assert themselves to bring peace and progress to Burma.
It is only by treating women with respect and by giving them their rightful place that we can build a modern, progressive society. In Burma, as in other parts of the world, we need to work harder to correct the injustices that have been imposed upon women throughout history: Lack of respect for their gender, lack of equal opportunities with men in acquiring professional skills, discrimination in the workplace, fewer chances of serving in high administrative posts.
Half a century ago at the time Burma regained her independence, the women of our country enjoyed a reputation for their vigor and progressiveness, and for their ability to work shoulder to shoulder with their men folk.
Today, it is especially important for our women to work actively to overcome the difficulties with which our country is faced. According to a number of psychologists, women are better able to cope than men in crisis situations. We should use this ability to bring peace and progress to our country, and to better the condition of peoples the world over. There is a great need for our women of Burma to use their capabilities to bring democracy and human rights to our country. It is no longer possible even for housewives to keep out of politics, because politics has invaded the traditional domain of housewives. The root cause of upward spiraling commodity prices, greatly increased charges for electricity, and rising costs of education and health care is a political one.
As our country is a union of many peoples, it is only by building understanding and unity between the different ethnic groups that we will be able to achieve genuine success in any cause that we undertake. Therefore, I would like to request the women of all the ethnic nationalities of Burma to strive together for our country. The majority of the women who have been driven by economic and political problems to live beyond our borders as refugees are Karen, Mon, and others of our sisters from the ethnic nationalities. I would like to appeal to international aid organizations to help these women who are struggling to cope with the difficulties of refugee existence. Let me also send a message of support to our refugee sisters who await a future when they can return to their own land. We are working hard that you may be able to come back soon to a Burma that will be a refuge for all our ethnic nationalities. Please do not lose heart.
I would also like to take the opportunity to honor those women who are making so many sacrifices for the cause of democracy and human rights in Burma. In particular, I would like to mention women political prisoners and the wives, daughters, and mothers of political prisoners. With perseverance and with the loyal commitment to our political objectives, our cause will surely prevail. Let us all walk forward together with firm hearts and minds to build a peaceful, prosperous union.
I send my warm greetings and love to the women of Burma.
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# |
Name |
Sentence (Years) |
Prison |
1 |
Aung San Suu Kyi, Daw |
????? |
house arrest |
2 |
Aye Aye Swe, Ma |
10 |
Bassein |
3 |
Aye Aye Win, Ma |
7 |
Insein |
4 |
Aye Myint Than, Daw |
7 |
Myaungmya |
5 |
Aye Than, Daw |
Life |
Insein |
6 |
Chan Mya Aung, Ma |
7 |
Insein |
7 |
Cho, Ma |
7 |
Insein |
8 |
ChoMar Htwe,Ma |
7 |
????? |
9 |
Ei Shwe Zin Nyunt,Ma |
7 |
Tharawaddy |
10 |
Hninn Pa Pa,Ma |
5 |
Mandalay |
11 |
Hla Hla Win,Ma |
6 |
????? |
12 |
Hninn Hninn Phwe,Ma |
7+7 |
Tharawaddy |
13. |
Hninn May Aung@ Noble Aye,Ma |
42 |
Insein |
14 |
Hninn Mya Aung,Ma |
7 |
????? |
15 |
Kalaya,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
16 |
Khin Aye Aye Mar,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
17 |
Khin Cho Myint,Ma |
7 |
Mandalay |
18 |
Khin Cho Myint @ Zulu,Ma |
10 |
Moulmein |
19 |
Khin Khin Leh,Ma |
Life |
Insein |
20 |
Khin Kyi Kyi,Ma |
5 |
Mandalay |
21 |
Khin Lay Nge,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
22 |
Khin Ma Gyi,Daw |
3 |
Insein |
23 |
Khin Mar Kyi,Dr |
7 |
Mandalay |
24 |
Khin Mar Yee,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
25 |
Khin Moe Aye,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
26 |
Khin Myint, Ma |
3 |
Insein |
27 |
Khin San Aye,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
28 |
Khin Sint,Daw |
3 |
Mandalay |
29 |
Khin Soe Myint,Ma |
? |
Insein |
30 |
Khin SoeWin,Ma |
7 |
Moulmein |
31 |
Khin Than Aye,Ma |
5 |
Mandalay |
32 |
Khin Tint,Daw |
????? |
Mandalay |
33 |
Khin Win Kyi,Ma |
????? |
Insein |
34 |
Kyi Kyi Mar,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
35 |
Kyi Kyi Win,Ma |
14 |
Insein |
36 |
Kyu,Ma |
10 |
Mandalay |
37 |
Kyu Kyu Mar,Ma |
21 |
Insein |
38 |
Lay Lay Mon,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
39 |
Leh Leh Cho,Ma |
7 |
Myaungmya |
40 |
Ma Ma Aye,Daw |
7 |
Mandalay |
41 |
Mar Mar Oo,Ma |
14 |
Insein |
42 |
Mar Mar Oo,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
43 |
May Win Myint,Dr |
7 |
Tharawaddy |
44 |
Mi Mi Aung,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
45 |
Mya Sabae Moe,Ma |
21 |
Shwebo |
46 |
Myaing,Ma |
5 |
Mandalay |
47 |
Myint Myint San,Ma |
????? |
Mandalay |
48 |
Natkyar,Ma |
2 |
Kale |
49 |
Nge Ma MaThan,Daw |
10 |
Insein |
50 |
Nilar Thein,Ma |
10 |
Tharawaddy |
51 |
Ni Ni Yin @ Chaw Chaw,Ma |
????? |
Insein |
52 |
Ohnmar,Ma |
7 |
Mandalay |
53 |
Ohn Mya,Ma |
????? |
Insein |
54 |
Phyo Phyo Yee,Ma |
????? |
????? |
55 |
Phyo Phyo Aye,Ma |
14 |
Insein |
56 |
Saite, Ma |
3 |
Kale |
57 |
San San,Daw |
20 |
Insein |
58 |
San San Nweh,Daw |
10 |
Insein |
59 |
Sandi Win,Ma |
????? |
????? |
60 |
Saw Hlaing,Daw |
7 |
????? |
61 |
Sein May,Daw |
10 |
Insein |
62 |
Shwe Pone,Dr |
Life |
Mandalay |
63 |
Soe Soe Khaing,Ma |
10 |
Mandalay |
64 |
Suu Suu Win,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
65 |
Than Nyunt,Ma |
14 |
Insein |
66 |
Than Than Htay,Ma |
17 |
Insein |
67 |
ThandaOo,Ma |
????? |
Insein |
68 |
Thant Shwe Aye,Dr |
????? |
????? |
69 |
Thein Htya,Ma |
10 |
Mandalay |
70 |
Thein Kywe,Dr |
7 |
Insein |
71 |
Thi Thi Aung,Ma |
7 |
Insein |
72 |
Thida Htwe@ Thuza,ma |
Life |
Tharawaddy |
73 |
Thida Win,Ma |
7 |
Tharawaddy |
74 |
Thin Thin Aye @Mi Mi,Ma |
7 |
Tharawaddy |
75 |
Thitsa,Ma |
14 |
Insein |
76 |
Tin Mar Kyi,Daw |
7 |
Mandalay |
77 |
Tin Mar Ni,Daw |
7 |
Mandalay |
78 |
Tin Mar Yee,Daw |
7 |
Mandalay |
79 |
Tin Tin,Ma |
25 |
????? |
80 |
Tin Tin Aye, Ma |
5 |
Mandalay |
81 |
Tin Tin Myit,Ma |
10 |
Insein |
82 |
Tin Tin Yee,Ma |
13 |
Insein |
83 |
Tin Win Kyi,Ma |
5 |
Mandalay |
84 |
Tin Yee @ Khin Yee,Ma |
10 |
????? |
85 |
Tin Zar Aung, Ma |
????? |
????? |
86 |
Win Mya Mya,Ma |
5 |
Mandalay |
87 |
Win Win Htay @ Ma Po |
7 |
Insein |
88 |
YeeYee Tun,Ma |
14 |
Tharawaddy |
89 |
Yu Yu Hlaing,Ma |
12 |
Tharawaddy |
90 |
Zin Mar Aung, Ma |
7 |
Mandalay |
007-2001
Statement
June 19, 2001
Female Political Prisoners in Burma
After the Burmese military seized power in 1988, countless women in Burma
have been arrested and subjected to long and arbitrary prison sentences handed down by the junta's biased judicial system. Currently, almost one
hundred women are known to be imprisoned in Burma for their involvement in peaceful activities relating to the quest for democracy and the human rights movement. (See the appendix)
In July of 1999, Dr. Shwe Pone, Daw Aye Than, Ma Khin Khin Leh, Ma Thida Htway were all arrested as a result of their role in peaceful
demonstrations. They were all denied legal representation and have been sentenced to life in prison.
Also in September of 1998, Ma Hnin May Aung, a National League of Democracy (NLD) member in her twenties was arrested for her connection with student activists. She is currently serving a forty-two year sentence.
The health of female prisoners' also continues to deteriorate as a result of relentless torture, inadequate food and inappropriate accommodations in prison. The lack of medicine and the non-existent access to any sort of decent medical attention also contributes to the rapid decline of their health.
We, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), request that the military authorities in Burma release all female political
prisoners immediately and unconditionally as the government said that they have "achieved an understanding between the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the NLD".
In the general election of 1990 in Burma, the NLD succeeded in capturing a landslide victory. The ruling military junta, instead of recognizing the election results, arrested large numbers of both male and female MP-elects, writers, members of opposition political parties and young students.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and winner of
the 1990 general election in, has been put under house arrest twice since 1989, once for six consecutive years. She is once again being illegally detained in her home as a result of her leading role in the NLD.
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)
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