National Campaign for Food and Freedom

Immediate Release

June 4, 2008.

We, Burma Medical Association, Concerned Burmese Physicians and Professionals and the
undersigned organizations are extremely worried over the worsening health of political prisoner
Myo Yan Naung Thein and we unanimously call for SPDC to immediately provide urgent
medical attention on humanitarian grounds.

Prisons in Burma are places where gross human rights violations and brutalities are everyday
realities. Abuses include torture, lack of proper medical care, inhumane living conditions and
insufficient food.

Military regime unlawfully extended Aung San Suu Kyi's detention in May when it expired after
continuous five years. 1975 Emergency Law Section 10(B) does not allow anyone to be detained
more than five consecutive years. The Junta has also restricted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi access to
her family doctor.

Burma's second most prominent leader Min Ko Naing is denied access to an eye specialist even
though he is at risk of going blind. One of the leaders of 88 Generation Students, Hla Myo
Naung, had severe eye pain and progressive deterioration of his eye sight when he was arrested.
Due to the delay of authorities to perform an operation, he tragically lost sight in one of his eyes.

Political prisoners face cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment in prisons, in detention centers
and are denied proper medical treatment. Among them is Myo Yan Naung Thein.

Myo Yan Naung Thein is a prominent leader of 1996 December student demonstrations and one
of the leading members of the 88 Generation Students. He was sentenced to prison for 7 years in
1997 for organizing peaceful demonstrations while studying final year architecture at the
Rangoon Institute of Technology.

He was re-arrested again on 14th Dec 2007 after the Saffron revolution when the regime cracked
down on political dissidents. He was tortured very severely during interrogation. Since then, his
health situation has deteriorated. He has been vomiting and cannot sleep or walk properly. He
received injuries particularly to his head. As a consequence of severe beatings, his brain has
sustained contusion or hemorrhage and subsequent deterioration in mental status.

He was hospitalized for two weeks in May but improperly diagnosed and treated as a psychiatric
patient. He was locked behind two doors and was put in isolation as a punishment by prison
authorities because he requested to see an appropriate physician, a neurologist or a neurosurgeon.
Prison authorities stated that "They do not have any responsibility to give medical treatment".
The roof of the room where he is kept is leaking due to the recent cyclone and he has to sleep in
the rain.
His mother also requested that the prison authorities allow him to see an appropriate physician.
She has not received any response from the prison authorities. He is under trial and his case will
resume on 5th June 2008.

Denying medical treatment to political prisoners is like giving death them sentence. As the result
of the torture and negligence of the authorities to give proper medical treatment, a prominent
student leader Thet Win Aung, died in Mandalay Prison at age 34.

Political prisoners face more torture, inhuman and degrading treatment especially after the
cyclone while the world’s attention is shifted away from them.

We demand that the SPDC respect the rights of all political prisoners.

We demand that the SPDC give all political prisoners proper health care and access to proper
medical treatment immediately.

We demand that the SPDC stop torture, inhuman and degrading treatment to all political
prisoners.

We demand that the SPDC immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners.

We request international human rights groups and government agencies to call upon the SPDC
to:

1. Grant immediate and proper medical care to Ko Myo Yan Naung Thein and other
political prisoners.
2. Stop torture and guarantee humane treatment to all political prisoners.

Undersigned:

1. Burma Medical Association

2. Concerned Burmese Physicians and Professionals www.cmpp-burma.blogspot.com
3. Canadian Friends of Burma (Canada) www.cfob.org
4. Burma Watch International (Canada) www.burmawatch.org
5. Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma (USA)
6. Democratic Federation of Burma www.komoethee.blogspot.com
7. Anti-dictatorship People’s Freedom movement (USA) www.adpfmburma.com
8. Democratic Burmese Students Organization (USA)
9. Burmese Students Democratic Organization (Canada) http://bsdo.blogspot.com/
10. Generation Wave (Burma) www.generation-wave.blogspot.com
11. League for Democracy in Burma (Japan)
12. Women on the Move for Burma (USA)
13. 88 Generation Students (Exile) www.pbase.com/komyoe88
14. International Campaign for Burma (USA) www.internationalcampaignfor
freedom.blogspot.com
15. Burmese Democratic Community (UK)
16. Justice for Human Rights in Burma (USA) www.jhburma.org
17. Guiding Star (Du Won- Burma) www.niknayman.blogspot.com
18. Burma Political Prisoner’s Union www.bppu.blogspot.com/
19. Burma Democratic Concern www.bdcburma.org
20. NLD-LA (Canada)
21. Burmese Bloggers without Borders www.bbwob.blogspot.com
22. Walk for Freedom http://88portland.wordpress.com/
23. Chin Freedom Coalition
24. Burmese Democratic Forum (USA)
25. Non-violent Empowerment Organization (USA)
26. Democratic Front of Patriots
27. Overseas Burmese Patriots (Singapore) www.overseasburmesepatriots.org