Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that prison guards at the central prison in Burma allegedly opened fire on prisoners on 2 May 2008 at the time that the recent cyclone hit the country, killing 36 and injuring around 70. Another four prisoners were also allegedly tortured to death afterwards and almost 100 have reportedly been isolated.
CASE DETAILS:
According to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), Burma and other sources, many zinc roofs of Insein Prison were torn off and one area of the prison was demolished due to the strong storm wind when the tropical cyclone Nargis hit the country on 2 May 2008. Over 1,500 prisoners were forced to congregate inside prison hall no.1 and they were locked inside the hall until the next morning May 3.
While getting wet, cold and hungry, prisoners requested prison guards to move them to another place for safety but the authorities ignored their request. Some prisoners started shouting demands, and some set on fire to the prison hall, which burnt down the hall.
Thereafter, prison guards, soldiers and riot police were called in and opened fire at the prisoners in the area. Thirty-six prisoners were reportedly killed on the spot and around 70 were injured.
When the thick smoke from the fire set by some prisoners spread out to the cell blocks, authorities did not immediately transfer the detainees to an another place. They later allowed prisoners out of the cells but one prisoner was immediately taken to the prison hospital because he could not breathe properly.
Since the situation became under control, the prison authorities took away those it believed was responsible for the fire in the hall. Another 4 prisoners were reportedly tortured to death during their interrogation, although there are as yet no details of the incident. Around 98 prisoners were locked in a punishment cell block for the responsible for setting fire in the hall and food was not provided to any prisoners.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The AHRC is following events in Burma since the cyclone closely and with great concern. See further: AHRC-STM-121-2008 and AHRC-STM-118-2008.
The government has reportedly announced today that the constitutional referendum planned for May 10 will be postponed in the affected areas to May 24 but will go ahead in other parts of the country on the fixed date. At least one senior government official, U Aung Thaung, the Industry Minister, has reportedly continued campaigning for support of the constitution in upper Burma as if the cyclone never happened.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the persons listed below to call for thorough and impartial investigation into this case. Please note that for the purpose of the letter, the country should be referred to by its official title of Myanmar, rather than Burma.
Please be informed that the AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Myanmar and extrajudicial killing as well as the question of torture and the regional human rights office for Southeast Asia, calling for interventions into this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
MYANMAR: At least 40 prisoners in Insein Jail allegedly killed in aftermath of cyclone
I am writing to voice my deep concern over reports that at least 40 prisoners may have been killed and many others injured in Insein Prison on 2-3 May 2008 in the aftermath of Cyclone Nagris.
According to the information I have received, over 1,500 prisoners were assembled in Hall No. 1 due to damage in one area of the prison caused by cyclone Nargis and kept locked inside the hall until the next morning. Getting wet, cold and hungry, prisoners requested to be moved to another place for safety but the authorities did not take any action. When the authorities ignored the prisoners’ requests, some prisoners set on fire to the hall. In order to control this situation, prison guards, soldiers and riot police reportedly opened fire at the prisoners which resulted in death of 36 prisoners and injuries to 70.
I am shocked that while the prison authorities instead of alleviating the situation immediately searched out those responsible for setting fire to the hall and another four prisoners were allegedly tortured to death during interrogation, while around 98 more were locked in a punishment cell block where food was not provided to them.
In light of the above, I urge you to immediately investigate these reports and confirm whether the killings and other incidents in fact occurred as reported with a view to taking prompt legal action against all those involved and providing redress to the victims and their families. Furthermore, I call for the granting of immediate access to all detainees by the International Committee of the Red Cross, concerned United Nations agencies, lawyers and family members. The ICRC in particular has been locked out of its proper mandate to work with the Government of Myanmar on conditions in the prisons there and I urge that the government cooperate with it especially at this time as a matter of the highest urgency.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Maj-Gen. Maung Oo
Minister for Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR
Tel: +95 67 412 079/ 549 393/ 549 663
Fax: +95 67 412 439
2. Lt-Gen. Thein Sein
Prime Minister
c/o Ministry of Defence
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR
Tel: + 95 1 372 681
Fax: + 95 1 652 624
3. U Aung Toe
Chief Justice
Office of the Supreme Court
Office No. 24
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR
Tel: + 95 67 404 080/ 071/ 078/ 067 or + 95 1 372 145
Fax: + 95 67 404 059
4. U Aye Maung
Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
Office No. 25
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR
Tel: +95 67 404 088/ 090/ 092/ 094/ 097
Fax: +95 67 404 146/ 106
5. Brig-Gen. Khin Yi
Director General
Myanmar Police Force
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR
Tel: +95 67 412 079/ 549 393/ 549 663
Fax: +95 67 412 439
6. U Aung Bwa
Director-General, ASEAN-Myanmar
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Pyinmana
MYANMAR
Tel: +951 229 214; 221 191
Fax: +951 222 950; 221 719
E-mail: dgaseanmofa@myanmar.com.mm
7. Mr. Patrick Vial
Head of Delegation
ICRC
No. 2 (C) – 5 Dr. Ba Han Lane
Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, 8th Mile
Mayangone Township
Yangon
MYANMAR
Tel.: +951 662 613 / 664 524
Fax: +951 650 117
E-mail: yangon.yan@icrc.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)
