Burma News

March 2011

There are over 150 women imprisoned in Burma for speaking out about human rights and democracy.

Naw Bey Bey

Naw Bey Bey is from Karen State, where she trained in community primary healthcare, after which she began to work in healthcare for Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs).

She was arrested in January 2006, by Tatmadaw troops in Toungoo District, Karen state. Naw Bey Bey had been home to visit her family after she received word that her mother had died. After Naw Bey Bey’s arrest it was reported that she was interrogated and beaten.

She was seen in a Tatmadaw camp near the village of Play Sa Lo, looking bruised, unfed, frail and wearing torn clothing. There have been several reports of Naw Bey Bey being taken out of prison and forced to travel with the Burmese Army as a medic. During this time it was reported that she was raped by soldiers.

Ma Thin Thin Aye aka Mie Mie

Mie Mie was sentenced to 65 years in jail by a special court in Yangon's Insein Prison on 11 November 2008. According to reports in the exile Burmese media, after hearing her sentence, Mie Mie shouted "We will never be frightened". In November 2009 Mie Mie was transferred to Katha prison, Sagaing Division, in the north-west of the country. This is 800 miles (1290km) from her home in Yangon, and it is now much more difficult for her family to visit her. The decision to move Mie Mie was made despite her continuing poor health. At the beginning of November her husband told exile media groups that she was suffering from spondylosis and arthritis.

Mie Mie has three young children, who are cared for by their father.

Honey Oo

 Honey Oo is a young Law student, in her early twenties, and a member of the All Burma Federation Student Union (ABSFU). She was arrested in October 2007. She was one of 20 leaders chosen when the ABFSU was reformed on 28 August 2007 in the lead up to the Saffron Revolution. After her arrest, Honney Oo’s family wrote to the director of prison administration requesting that she be allowed to sit her final exams in detention. At this point in time, she had not been convicted of any offence. Authorities denied permission for Honney and 2 other students to sit their exams. Thus, Honney has been unable to finish her law degree. In November 2008, Hooney was transferred to Lashio prison in Northern Shan state, which is over 600 miles from her family in Rangoon.

Mar Mar Oo

 Mar Mar Oo was just a high school student when she was first sentenced to 3 years in prison with hard labour. She was the first woman activist accused under Section 5/j of the Emergency Provision Act. Following her release, Mar Mar Oo was undeterred in her political activities, as she joined the 1996 student’s movement. She was again arrested and sentenced to 14 years with hard labour.

Mar Mar Oo received a prison sentence of 70 years in 2008, which was 5 years more than the other defendants at her trial. Under section 401, a former political prisoner must finish the remainder of their sentence if they break the agreement not to participate in politics. Mar Mar Oo had previously been imprisoned in 1989 and in 1996. When she was released, she still had 5 years left to serve and this was then added to her 65 year sentence for her involvement in the Saffron revolution. She is now in Tharawaddy prison in Southern Burma.

Daw Win Mya Mya

 Daw Win Mya Mya is 60 years of age. She has been a member of National League for Democracy and an activist since 1988. She was travelling with Daw Aung Suu Kyi’s motorcade in Depayin in 2003, when it was attacked by a militia mob. During that attack, Daw Win Mya Mya broke both arms. She still suffers from nerve damage as a result of those injuries. Daw Win Mya Mya also suffers from low blood pressure, diabetes and has difficulty sitting or standing.

She was sentenced in October 2008 to twelve years in prison for her activities during the September 2007 demonstrations. She was transferred to the isolated Putao prison in far north Burma in March 2009. She managed to tell her brother before she left, “I am being sent to where I deserve for my works. You live one day, you die one day. I don’t care if they send me to the moon.”

In February 2010 local authorities auctioned off her shop, thereby cutting off a possible livelihood in the future.

Thet thet Aung

 was given a total 65 year sentence in November 2008 for her activities during the Saffron Revolution. She is a member of 88 Generation Students Group, who through their protests in August 2007 sparked off the Saffron Revolution. In October 2009, AAPP learnt that she urgently requires heart surgery. Thet Thet Aung has a history of heart disease and has been suffering from blackouts and hypertension⁹.

Thet Thet Aung is said to take real joy in being a mother to her three young sons. Her husband was given a sentence of 11 years. Their children are currently staying with Thet Thet Aung’s mother. Her friends remember that she is always smiling and laughing, and she likes to tell funny stories.

San San Tin

 San San Tin is Thet Thet Aung’s aunt and mother of political prisoner Nyi Nyi Aung. In October 2007 San San Tin was arrested and shortly after she is began serving a 9 year sentence for ‘aiding and abetting a wanted person”. She had assisted her son Nyi Nyi Aung and other prodemocracy activists. San San Tin is in poor health. In January 2008 her sister said that she had a tumour on her neck and was due for an operation.” She previously had an operation on her left eye, which has now deteriorated further. San San Tin was hospitalised in November 2008 for investigations. It was reported in June 2009 that San San Tin was suffering from heart disease as well as a swelling in her neck¹¹ .

Noble Aye

Noble Aye was put into a punishment cell in September 2009.

AAPP received information in September 2009 that she was ill from Hepatitis.

She had previously been ill with jaundice in June 2009.

Nilar Thein

 On 22 January 2009, family members of Nilar Thein were reported to be concerned about her health, having heard that she has a peptic ulcer. They were also concerned that she was being held in solitary confinement.

She was vomiting every day and when she went to see the doctor he told her to just go in for meditation and tell her beads.

Nila Thein has a daughter age 3 and a half, who lives with grandparents. Nila Thein's husband is also serving a 65-year prison sentence.

Prisoner update - January 2012

Reprinted courtesy of the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners in Burma (AAPPB)

	Name		Sentence	Prison	Date of Sentence	More Info
1		Ama Nyunt	10 yrs	Mandalay	N/A
2		Aye Aye Min	10 yrs	Insein	N/A
3		Aye Aye Mu	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
4		Aye Aye Myint	N/A	Insein	07-Sep-07
5		Aye Aye Thet	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
6		Aye Chan	8 yrs	Insein	05-Jul-05
7		Aye Ma Kyaw	N/A	N/A	28-Sep-07
8		Aye Mi Khine	N/A	N/A	27-Sep-07
9		Aye Thi Khaing	8 yrs	Insein	04-Jul-05
10		Aye Thida	18 yrs	Henzada	14-Oct-07
11		Cho Cho Aye @ Cho (Daw)	2 yrs	Yemethin	03-Oct-09
12		Cho Cho Lwin	2 yrs	Insein	04-Oct-09
13		Cho Cho Than	8 yrs	Myitkyina	30-Sep-09
14		Cho Lwin	N/A	N/A	N/A
15		Daw Tiza @ Daw Khaw Tiza	17 yrs & 50,000 kyat	Insein	05-May-05
16		Hla Ain Za Li	N/A	N/A	27-Sep-07
17		Hla Hla	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
18		Hla Hla Maw @ Maw Gyi	9 yrs & 6 mths	Myingyan	27-Aug-08
19		Hla Hla Win	27 yrs	Katha	11-Sep-09
20		Hla Kay Thi Win	Under Trial	Insein	04-Jan-11
21		Hla Kyi	N/A	Mergui	06-Sep-99
22		Hla Myint	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
23		Hnin Nwe Moe @ Hnin Hnin	4 yrs	Insein	07-Sep-07
24		Honney Oo	9 yrs & 6 mths	Lashio	09-Oct-07	Read More
25		Htar Htar Thet	19 yrs	Hkamti	03-Nov-07
26		Htay Htay Ngwe Yee	N/A	Insein	05-May-00
27		Htet Htet Oo Wai	5 yrs	Putao	30-Dec-08
28		Htoo Khin	10 yrs	Mergui	20-Nov-98
29		Htwe	N/A	TenasserimGuard	27-Mar-99
30		Htwe Khin Oo	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
31		Jennet Khaing	7 yrs	N/A	08-Aug-08
32		Kabyar	2yrs	Mandalay	28-Sep-09
33		Khaing Mar Soe	10 yrs	Bassein	01-Jul-06
34		Khin Hnin Aye	N/A	Mandalay	13-Sep-08
35		Khin Khin Nu	17 yrs & 50,000 kyat	Insein	05-May-05
36		Khin Nyein Chan Soe	N/A	N/A	07-Jun-08
37		Khin Nyunt Mu	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
38		Khin Than Aye	5 yrs	Mandalay	N/A
39		Khin Thin Kyu	N/A	N/A	25-Sep-07
40		Khin Win Kyi	Under Trial	Insein	N/A
41		Khin Yi @ Daw San	65 yrs	Insein	2008
42		Kyaing Kyaing Thin @ Khin Moe Nwe	3 yrs & 3 mths	Insein	16-Nov-08
43		Kyi Kyi War	11 yrs	Paungde	04-Jan-08
44		Kyu (Daw)	N/A	N/A	19-Sep-07
45		Kyu	7 yrs	Insein	N/A
46		Lay Lay Mon	11 yrs	Shwebo	23-Sep-07
47		Leah Leah	N/A	N/A	28-Sep-07
48		Leh Leh Cho	7 yrs	Mandalay	N/A
49		Ma Ma Khin	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
50		Ma Ma San	N/A	Kale	N/A
51		Ma Nge	7 yrs & 6 mths	Tharawaddy	28-Aug-07
52		Ma Pauk	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
53		Ma Sanda	1 yrs @ 6 months	Putao	06-May-10
54		Mar Mar Aye	14 yrs	Insein	04-Jan-97
55		Mar Mar Aye	2 yrs Hard Labor	Paungde	15-Aug-09
56		Mar Mar Oo	70 yrs	Bamaw	07-Aug-08	Read More
57		Mar Saw Aye	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
58		Maw Maw Naing	N/A	Taungoo	08-Aug-06
59		May Hlaing	N/A	N/A	28-Aug-07
60		May Mi	N/A	N/A	22-Sep-07
61		May Mon	N/A	at Hosptial	07-Aug-07
62		May Win	N/A	N/A	29-Sep-07
63		Mee Mee	N/A	N/A	17-Apr-08
64		Mi Chu	N/A	Moulmein	11-Apr-97
65		Min Min Hlaing	N/A	Insein	N/A
66		Modoni	Detention	N/A	07-May-08
67		Moe Moe Khaing	13 yrs	Moulmein	12-Oct-05
68		Mu Mu	N/A	Moulmein	N/A
69		Mya Mya Theint	5 yrs	Putao	18-Oct-07
70		Mya Than	N/A	Insein	26-Sep-07
71		Mya Win @ Tin Win	N/A	N/A	26-Sep-07	Released 2nd Jan 2012
72		Myaing @Than Nyunt	5 yrs	Mandalay	N/A
73		Myint Aye	Detention	Insein	15-May-07
74		Myint Kyi	N/A	N/A	19-Aug-07
75		Myint Maw	N/A	N/A	24-Aug-07
76		Myint Myint San	N/A	Mandalay	N/A
77		Myint Myint San @ Ma Cho	3 yrs	Katha	13-Mar-09
78		Nan Nyunt Ye Hlaing	15 yrs	Loikaw	10-Aug-96
79		Naw Al Soe Phaw	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
80		Naw Bey Bey	8 yrs	Taungoo	Jan-06	Read More
81		Naw Mae Lis	N/A	Mergui	14-Sep-97
82		Naw Ohn Hla	2 yrs	Taungoo	03-Oct-09
83		Ngwe Ngwe Win	N/A	N/A	27-Sep-07
84		Ngwe Win	N/A	N/A	00-Sep
85		Ni Mo Hlaing	5 yrs	Thayet	14-Jun-08
86		Ni Ni Minn	N/A	Myingyan	N/A
87		Nilar Thein @ Ni Ni Mar	65 yrs + Under Trial	Thayet	10-Sep-08	Read More Sign petition
88		Noble Aye @ Hnin May Aung	11 yrs	Monywa	23-Aug-07	Read More
89		Nur Nahar Luky	N/A	N/A	07-May-08
90		Nwe (Daw)	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
91		Nwe Hnin Yi @ Noe Noe	7 yrs	Maubin	19-Oct-07
92		Nweh Nweh Thinn	N/A	N/A	29-Sep-07
93		Nyo Nyo Lwin	N/A	N/A	24-Aug-07
94		Nyunt Kyi	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
95		Ohmar	N/A	N/A	26-Mar-08
96		Ohn Mar Kyaw	N/A	N/A	27-Sep-07
97		Ohn Mar Shwe	N/A	N/A	05-Oct-07
98		Ohnmar Myint	13 yrs	Insein	15-May-07
99		Pada Mya rMyay Thu @ Poe Ei	N/A	N/A	03-Oct-07
100		Paung Khwin Ma	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
101		Phyo Phyo Aung @ Hnin Pwint Wai	4 yrs	Moulmein	Freed October 12th 2011
102		Phyo Phyo Yee	N/A	N/A	18-Jun-05
103		Phyu Phyu Theint	Under Trial	Insein	07-Sep-07
104		Phyu Phyu Win	N/A	Insein	07-Sep-07
105		Phyu Phyu Win	28 yrs	Taungoo	06-Aug-06
106		Pwint Phyu	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
107		Rabea Khatun	N/A	N/A	07-May-08
108		Rahim Markatul	N/A	N/A	07-May-08
109		San San Maw @ Mi Chay	65 yrs	Insein	2008
110		San San Myint	2 yrs	Tharawaddy	03-Oct-09
111		San San Myint @ Thu Zar	3 yrs & 3 mths	Insein	16-Nov-08
112		San San Tin	5 yrs	Meiktila	19-Oct-07	Read More
113		Sandar Min @ Shwee	65 yrs + Under Trial	Myaungm ya	23-Aug-07	Read More
114		Shwe (Daw)	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
115		Shwe Ye Min	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
116		Su Su Nway @ Nwe Nwe Win	8 yrs & 6 mths	Hkamti	Freed October 12th 2011
117		Swe Swe	Under Trial	Myaungmya	N/A
118		Than Hla	N/A	Mergui	06-Sep-99
119		Than Htay	7 yrs	Insein	01-Jan-03
120		Than Mya @ Than Than Mya	5 yrs	Bamaw	22-Jan-10
121		Than Soe	7 yrs	Insein	23-Sep-04
122		Than Than Htay	17 yrs	Insein	Freed October 12th 2011
123		Than Than Myint	N/A	N/A	02-Oct-09
124		Than Than Su Win	7 yrs	Insein	01-Nov-03
125		Thanda Tun @ Thanda	5 yrs	Yemethin	03-Sep-09
126		Thandar	29 yrs	Insein	01-Apr-08
127		Thandar Kyaw	N/A	N/A	29-Sep-07
128		Tharaphy Theint Theint Tun	11 yrs	Prome	10-Oct-07
129		Thein Thein Yin	N/A	Ann Military interrogation	03-Mar-09
130		Thet Thet Aung	65 yrs + Under Trial	Myingyan	19-Oct-07	Read More
131		Thin Thin	N/A	N/A	12-Oct-07
132		Thin Thin Aye @ Mee Mee	65 yrs + Under Trial	Katha	13-Oct-07	Read More
133		Tin Mar Swe	24 yrs	Mandalay	Jul-04
134		Tin Tin Myint	N/A	Taungoo	08-Aug-06
135		Tin Shwe	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
136		Tin Tin Cho	3 yrs	Lashio	12-Jun-08
137		Tin Tin Swe	N/A	N/A	03-Oct-07
138		Tin Yee	Detention	N/A	15-May-07
139		Tin Zar Aung	Under Trial	N/A	N/A
140		Wa Wa Aung @ Khaing Yamin	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
141		Wai Wai Nu	17 yrs & 50,000 kyat	Insein	05-May-05
142		Win Mya Mya	12 yrs	Putao	28-Sep-07	Read More
143		Yin Kyi	8 yrs	Insein	04-Jul-05
144		Yin Yin Htike	N/A	N/A	27-Sep-07
145		Yin Yin Thite	N/A	N/A	23-Aug-07
146		Yin Yin Wyne @ Sizar	4 yrs	Shwebo	12-Jun-08
147		Yine Mon	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
148		Zin Hnin Aye	N/A	Mandalay	N/A
149		Zin Mar	N/A	N/A	08-Oct-07
150		Zin Nyine Thu	N/A	N/A	07-Aug-07
151		May Hnin War	8 yrs	Taungoo	N/A
152		Naw Go Salin Key	8 yrs	Taungoo	N/A
153		Naw Pi Pi	8 yrs	Taungoo	N/A
154		Ma Phyu @ Chaw Su Hlaing	28 yrs	Taungoo	N/A
155		Naw Cho Cho Aye	28 yrs	Taungoo	N/A
156		Zarni Oo	N/A	Insein	14-Oct-10
157		Aye Aye Nwe	N/A	Insein	14-Oct-10