EMG The family of late former military dictator Ne Win has submitted a letter to the head of the Political Prisoners Committee seeking the release of two of his grandsons, according to committee member Bo Kyi.
“The families of the grandsons, Aye Ne Win and Kyaw Ne Win, sent a letter to us. They were arrested under Section 122 (1), and are included on the list of political prisoners. Another point in the letter is that they did not receive proper justice when they were arrested. Next is that they had been in prison for quite a long time already. We are asking the government why they would let the main culprit, Sandar Win (Ne Win’s daughter) and Zwe Ne Win (grandson) go free while still incarcerating the other two grandsons,” said Bo Kyi.
He added that when he asked the government which section they were arrested under, the Government did not find the names of Aye Ne Win, Kyaw Ne Win, and Col. Win Naing Kyaw on the list. He asked again why the government did not issue their list.
Bo Kyi later urged those who think that one of their family members has been arrested and imprisoned in connection with politics to connect with the “88 Generation and Open Youth Society,” the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a former political prisoners association, or the President’s Office. The case of Aye Ne Win and Kyaw Ne Win is being examined and their release depends on the president, he said.
In a separate case, Khin Moe San, the wife of Col. Win Naing Kyaw, who helped establish relations between Myanmar and North Korea before being sentenced to death said that her husband is excluded from the list of political prisoners.
Bo Kyi acknowledged that the Government has still not exonerated Col. Win Naing Kyaw.
“From our side, we have concluded that his case matches those such as Myat Thin, Aung Kyaw Lin, and Maung Maung Lwin. We have to negotiate with the government concerning them. We have to negotiate with the chief of staff himself. This must be done by the president. For us, we have to negotiate with the deputy minister of Home Affairs until the case is settled.”
He added that they would have to build a case for why Col. Win Naing Kyaw should be pardoned while the government needs to say why he should not be released.
Col. Win Naing Kyaw’s spouse said that her husband was imprisoned under the Emergency Act (3) of 1950 and sentenced to death. Although she submitted a case to the government, they have not included her husband’s case for investigation or review until now. Her husband has suffered heart disease and hypertension while in prison. She added that repeated letters to the President on his behalf have been in vain.
Thein Nyunt, MP for the Thingunkyun Township constituency, said he was doing his best to resolve the Win Naing Kyaw case.
“I’ve mentioned him in every meeting because he was imprisoned under Emergency Act (3) of 1950. It is a political Act. The questions of where he comes from, what he does or who he is are not my concern. We are only looking at why he was arrested.”
According to Bo Kyi there are members of the committee who are frustrated by the government’s approach to the matter. The government has no list of political prisoners, and does not even have a definition for the term “political prisoners.” Furthermore, when the government does release political prisoners it does so only on an exceptional basis.
“The 22 people from military intelligence being imprisoned don’t meet the criteria of the committee and they are excluded from the political prisoners’ list,” said Ye Aung of the committee.
Aye Ne Win, Kyaw Ne win, and Zwe Ne Win, the grandsons of Ne Win and their father Aye Zaw Win were sentenced to life in prison in 2002 under Act 122.1 for betraying the country. Their mother, Sandar Win, and Ne Win were placed under house arrest. Ne Win died on December 5, 2002. In 2008, Sandar Win was released from house arrest and Zwe Ne Win and Aye Zaw Win were released in 2011.
Col. Win Naing Kyaw was arrested in December 2009. He was accused of speaking about Myanmar and North Korea relations and showing off top-secret underground tunnels being dug by Myanmar and North Korea to international societies. He was sentenced to death.
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