Jonathan Aitken: Jailed for telling the truth
Aung San Suu Kyi is now the world's only imprisoned Nobel Laureate
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Independent Minds
The Burmese democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has suffered a travesty of justice, on top of the 13 years of house arrest she has already endured. Today the world's only jailed Nobel Laureate will stand trial again. The brutal junta ruling Burma even denied her medical treatment, and arrested her personal doctor. She has committed no crime – indeed, it is the regime that is criminal. But Aung San Suu Kyi is simply the most visible of Burma's prisoners of conscience.
At least 2,100 dissidents remain in jail, in conditions far more brutal than her house arrest. A recent report, Burma's Prisons and Labour Camps: Silent Killing Fields, released by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), details systematic and horrific torture, denial of medical treatment and refusal of visits from family. The food provided to prisoners is inedible and exercise severely restricted. At least 127 are in poor health, and 19 urgently need medical care. Since 1988, at least 139 political prisoners have died in jail but it is not only those in jail who are prisoners.
Burma's ruling military junta has held the entire nation captive for almost 50 years. The regime's callousness was on full display a year ago when, after cyclone Nargis – the worst natural disaster in years, it initially refused international aid and denied access to aid workers. Over 140,000 people died, and more than 2.5 million were left homeless.
As if this catalogue of horrors was not enough, the regime is carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples in eastern Burma. More than 3,300 villages have been destroyed and a million people driven from their homes and into hiding, without food, medicine or shelter. Civilians, including women and children, are shot at point-blank range. Rape is used as a weapon of war, forced labour is widespread and the use of human minesweepers common. It has the highest number of forcibly conscripted child soldiers in the world. Burma has become Asia's Darfur, but without the world's cameras.
For too long, Burma's plight has been neglected. The time has come to say enough is enough. It is time for the UN to invoke its much-flaunted Responsibility to Protect mechanism, to impose an arms embargo on the regime and establish a commission of inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity.
As an immediate step, the UN Secretary-General must hear the appeals of hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have signed a petition calling on him to make the release of political prisoners in Burma a top priority. The UN should send a senior envoy to Burma immediately to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners and provide access to medical care. As Aung San Suu Kyi has said, "Until all of our political prisoners are free, none of us can say that Burma is now truly on the road towards democratic change."
In 1997, I went to prison for very different reasons. I was convicted of perjury. I had committed a crime, and paid the price. And since then, I have devoted my time to two causes – prison reform and international human rights. I know that I went to prison for telling a lie but in Burma, over 2,000 people are in prison for telling the truth.
Jonathan Aitken is a former cabinet minister and is Honorary President of Christian Solidarity Worldwide which has launched a new online campaign changeforburma.org
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Comments
The article was very factual. , The treatment that Aung San Suu Kyi has suffered at the hands of the generals beggars belief and the World stands by and watches. I fail to understand at times why the U.N exists, the efforts of Mr Ganbarre have proved useless to date. Regretfully the U.N. which is multi coloured has failed to understand that Asians, therefore the generals, will have little or no respect for skins darker than their own, especially Sub Saharan Africans,at the very least they should have nominated perhaps a negotiator from India.
China is the only country that could influence Burma if it wanted to, but they also have more than their own fair share of human rights failings. All the counties in Asean should voice their condemnation, and boycott Burma in the supply of arms and other materials that can be used by the millitary.....but inevitably it all hinges on China.
The Burmese democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has suffered a travesty of justice, on top of the 13 years of house arrest she has already endured. Well she would if you stick your neck to Burma. Those guys are annoyed with you. Apologize to them and see what happens. Don?t be like Mr. Brown who does not want to apologise.
I thank you
Firozali A.Mulla