According to a media report, the human rights defender monk, U Nemainda, who had been suffered from a curable skin disease for over a month died in the Mawlemyaing prison on December 8. His death is blamed on the absence of medical care. He had complained to the prison authorities about his disease but no medical care was provided. In addition, as he was sent to a prison which is away from his home, none of his family members could visit him. “He had been on a hunger strike in order to be given medical treatment for his disease, but no one took care of him and he finally died in the prison”, said a relative of another prisoner in a media interview.
According to her, he could not drink nor eat since he contracted the disease and had been continuously asking for the treatment which was denied him.
U Nemainda was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 1999 after being accused of distributing a circular in Bago, two hours drive from Yangon .He was sentenced under section 5(j): ….to affect the morality or conduct of the public or a group of people in a way that would undermine the security of the Union or the restoration of law and order, and under 17(1) Whoever is a member of an unlawful association, or takes part in meetings of any such association, or contributes or receives or solicits any contribution for the purpose of any such association or in any way assists the operations of any such association, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two years and more than three years and shall also be liable to fine.
The Asian Human Rights Commission has previously reported on the situation of prisoners and how they are transferred to other prisons without information being given to their family members. Please refer to AHRC-UAU-044-2010 and AHRC-STM-240-2010 .
The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners states that (22) (2) Sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals. Where hospital facilities are provided in an institution, their equipment, furnishings and pharmaceutical supplies shall be proper for the medical care and treatment of sick prisoners, and there shall be a staff of suitable trained officers.
Monk, U Nemianda died in the prison from a curable disease which could have been treated successfully by the prison medical team. It is appalling that this treatment was denied him resulting in his death.
“It is because of the lack of treatment and negligence of the prison authorities,” said the same person who used to visit the prison.
Most of the prisoners who die in the prisons are those whose family members are unable to visit them t provide food and medical needs. Their mental and physical state of the prisoners in this category are seriously affected.
The Asian Human Rights Commission urges the government of Myanmar to immediately investigate the case and take action so that similar situations will not happen in the future. The prison authorities who callously and intentionally denied U medical treatment must be prosecuted to the furthest extent of the law.
