News By Kaladan Press
Maungdaw, Arakan State: The new Thein Sein Government in Burma had announced an amnesty to release prisoners where 129 prisoners of northern Arakan were released from jail, but the prominent Rohingya politician U Kyaw Min is still remain in the prison, said a politician from Maungdaw.
U Kyaw Minalias Master Shamsul Anowarul Hoque (Rohingya MP for NDPHR and member of Committee Representing People’s Parliament)
“127 prisoners from Buthidaung jail, one from Kyaukpru jail and the last one from Thandwe after the Thein Sein Government grant amnesty.”
“From Buthidaung jail, 7 prisoners are from Bangladeshi, 10 Rakhine Community and the rest are all Rohingya community. But all are not political prisoners.”
“Iqubal Hussain and Dil Mohamed were sent to jail by Maungdaw court with 10 year jail term for meeting a place which is not registered office of the Burmese Muslim Organization (BMO) Maungdaw under leadership of Mohamed Salim alias Than Htun.”
“Salim and other BMO members are still remaining in the jail.”
Recently Thein Sein government released 6,359 prisoners on 12 October and but there were only 220 political prisoners. Almost 2,000 political prisoners still remain in prison, according to a watch dog from Maungdaw.
“The Rohingya prominent politician U Kyaw Min alias Master Shamsul Anowarul Hoque (Rohingya MP for NDPHR and member of Committee Representing People’s Parliament) and family members were not included in the prisoners released under the recent presidential amnesty.”
“U Kyaw Min had sentenced to 47 years imprisonment and at the same time his wife Daw Tiza, his two daughters Kin Kin Nu and Way Way Nu and his son Maung Aung Naing had also sentenced to 17 years imprisonment respectively.”
"U Kyaw Min(age 54), the representative-elect (MP) of Butheetaung Township constituency (1), belongs to the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR) and a member of the CRPP, was detained on 17 March 2005, A statement was released by CRPP on last Union Day, in which U Kyaw Min took in active part. Besides, he met with ILO delegation, which visited Burma on 21st to 23rd of February 2005. He was sentenced to 47 years imprisonment on 29 July 2005. His wife, two daughters and a son were also sentenced to 17 years respectively. The junta banned the NDPHR under order No. 8/92 on 18 March 1992, and at that time U Kyaw Min was a member of the party's Central Executive Committee. U Kyaw Min received a Bachelor of Economics degree from the Rangoon Institute of Economics in 1968, and in 1969 he began working as a teacher. In 1983, he received a Diploma in Education and served as the Deputy Head of Buthidaung Township Educational Department. In 1985 he became a middle school principal but was dismissed from the position in 1989 because of his involvement in the August 1988 uprising. U Kyaw Min received 30,997 valid votes or 74 % in the 1990 elections," according to the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) which is serving as a government in exile with its headquarter in Washington D.C.(Source: http://www.ncgub.net/staticpages/index.php?page=MP-update-August2007)
Mentionable, after he joined the CRPP (Committee Representing the People's Parliament) in 1998 at the invitation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to represent the Rohingya ethnic minority, the main pro-regime party "NUP" (National Unity Party) also invited him to join NUP to support military backed national convention and to resign from CRPP. But he did not agree and this has caused serious wrath of the military rulers and the ultimate consequence was the handing of 47 years imprisonment, according to U Kyaw Min: An Imprisoned Rohingya MP without Citizenship by Ahmedur Rahman Farooq, dated February, 05.
The recent presidential amnesty for prisoners release program wants to show the genuine reform it should release all political prisoners and 88 Generation Student leaders, including Ko Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Mya Aye. It is equally important that Reverent U Gambira, U Kyaw Min (Rohingya MP for NDPHR and member of Committee Representing People’s Parliament) and family members, U Khun Htun Oo (Shan National League for Democracy) and the rest of political prisoners must be released, according to Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) press release dated October 18, 2011.
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