FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2009
AHRC-OLT-005-2009

An Open Letter to the Minister of Home Affairs of Myanmar by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Maj-Gen. Maung Oo
Minister for Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR

Tel: +95 67 412 079/ 549 393/ 549 663
Fax: +95 67 412 439

Dear Maj-Gen. Maung Oo

MYANMAR: Special humanitarian request for urgent medical treatment for detainee suffering from heart condition

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing this special appeal to you out of grave concern that a person currently being detained in Myanmar is seriously incapacitated and could die for want of adequate medical attention.

The detainee in question is Ma Su Su Nwe, 39, who was convicted of five charges and sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in jail for her part in the events of August and September 2007, which was reduced on appeal to eight-and-a-half years in February 2009. Ma Su Su Nwe, as you may be aware, has a congenital heart defect and has been on medication for a long time.

However, we are gravely concerned that since she has been held in custody, Ma Su Su Nwe's health has worsened dramatically. According to visitors to Kalay Prison in Sagaing Division, where she has been held since November 2008, Ma Su Su Nwe is unable to walk without support from wardens and appears to be extremely weak and pale.

While we are aware that Ma Su Su Nwe has obtained some treatment at the Kalay hospital, we are gravely concerned that so long as she is held in the extremely poor conditions in the prison her health will only continue to worsen.

We are also aware that one of the reasons for Ma Su Su Nwe's seriously deteriorating health is that, like many other persons convicted over the incidents in 2007, she has been sent to a prison far from her residence, making it very difficult for friends and family to visit regularly and attend to her needs.

Without regards to other factors, we sincerely request you to allow Ma Su Su Nwe to get the urgent medical treatment that she needs to secure her health, preferably as an inpatient in a hospital outside of prison. In this respect we also kindly request that you consider transferring Ma Su Su Nwe to a prison closer to her family and relatives, in the Ayeyarwaddy or Yangon Divisions, so that other persons too may assist in seeing that she receives the food and medicine and other things that she needs.

Please be informed that we are making this request on strictly humanitarian and compassionate grounds, for the sake of the health and wellbeing of a woman detainee. We believe that your prompt intervention will allow for Ma Su Su Nwe to obtain the assistance that she needs without further delay.

We also take this opportunity to urge that the International Committee for the Red Cross again be allowed access to detainees in Myanmar in accordance with its international mandate as a matter of the highest priority.

We trust that you will give this request your highest consideration and thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely

Basil Fernando
Executive Director
Asian Human Rights Commission, Hong Kong


Cc:
1. U Zaw Win, Director General, Myanmar Correctional Department
2. Patrick Vial, Head of Delegation, ICRC, Myanmar
3. Steve Marshall, Liaison Officer, ILO, Myanmar
4. Tomas Ojea Quintana, UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar
5. Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders