Thirteen 88 Student Activists Transferred to New Prisons

By WAI MOE

Thirteen political prisoners who are connected to the dissident group, the 88 Generation Students, have been transferred from Insein Prison in Rangoon to prisons in distant areas of the country, according to Burmese prison officials.

Insein Prison sources said 13 political prisoners were transferred on Friday morning.

Two female activists, Lay Lay Mon and Nobel Aye, also known as Hnin May Aung, were transferred to Shwe Bo Prison and Monywa prisons in Sagaing Division.

Thein Than Tun, also known as Ko Ko Gyi, was sent to Thandwe Prison and Zaw Htet Ko Ko was sent to Kyaukpyu Prison in Arakan State.

Kyaw Zin Tun was transferred to Yamaethin Prison; Aung Theik Htwe was sent to Madalay Prison; and San San Tin, a female activist, was sent to Meiktila Prison in Mandalay Division.

Chit Ko Lin was transferred to Pakokku Prison in Magway Division.

Kyi Than was moved to Pyapon Prison; two female dissidents, Nwe Hnin Yee, also know as Noe Noe, and Aye Thida were sent to Maubin Prison and Hinthada prisons in Irrawaddy Division

Saw Myo Min Naing was sent to Thaton Prison in Mon State.

Another female activist, Tharapyi Theint Theint Tun, was moved to Prome Prison in Pegu Division.

According to dissident sources in Rangoon, 36 people connected to the 88 Generation Students were charged and sentenced to up to 65 years imprisonment at the end of last year. Prominent student activists Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kyawe and Pyone Cho were among the 36.

Each of the 36 activists was sent to a different prison. The transfers were completed on Friday.

Transferring political prisoners to distant prisons is one of the tactics to further punish prisoners and increase the burden on their families and friends. The current military junta has used the tactic since 1990, according to human rights groups.

As result, many families of prisoners cannot afford to visit their loved ones, since some may be 1,000 miles away from a prisoner’s hometown.