Nyi Nyi Aung, the Burmese-American arrested in September, has been on a hunger strike in Insein prison since Friday in protest against prison injustices, family members told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.
“He is demanding authorities deal with injustices and repression facing political prisoners,” said Nyi Nyi Aung's aunt, Khin Khin Swe, who met him during yesterday's family visit.
“He will not stop his hunger strike until and unless he sees better health care for prisoners and is assured of other prisoners' rights,” she said.
Since Nyi Nyi Aung, 40, launched his hunger strike, his family members have expressed concern about his health.
“He still looks fine. But we are very worried about him,” said Khin Khin Swe.
Nyi Nyi Aung, a Burmese political activist who resettled in the United States as a political refugee in 1993, was arrested at Rangoon's International Airport on Sept. 3 this year when he arrived on a flight from Bangkok.
According to the Burmese state-run newspapers, Nyi Nyi Aung entered Burma eight times between November 2005 and September 2009.
Although the Burmese government initially accused him of engaging in terrorist activities, he is now charged with using fake documents and carrying excessive amounts of foreign currency into Burma, according to a press statement from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a Thailand-based organization working for the political prisoners in Burma, released on Monday.
According to AAPP, Nyi Nyi Aung was brutally tortured during the interrogation, and his mother, 61, and a female cousin, 32, are serving long sentences in separate prisons for political offenses.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Bo Kyi, joint secretary of AAPP, said: “Hunger strikes sporadically take place inside Burma's prisons. The authorities usually handle them by negotiation or use of force.”
Hunger strikes usually happen when restrictions on prisoners are too severe. Prisoners usually demand basic rights and better health care and food, according to a former political prisoner, Bo Bo Oo, who was released last September after 20 years in jail.
Bo Bo Oo launched two hunger strikes, one lasting five days and another eleven days while he was living in Myingyan prison, demanding journals and newspapers to read and better food. Bo Bo Oo said the authorities later acceded to his demands.
But the authorities can sometimes be quite tough in handling prisoners' demands, Bo Kyi said. “We have the case of Aung Kyaw Moe, a political prisoner who died in Tharrawaddy Prison during a hunger strike calling for his release, which was long overdue, in 1998.”
“Aung Kyaw Moe was ordered to halt his hunger strike and was beaten to death when he refused to do so,” said Bo Kyi. “Sometimes, if the authorities do not wish to negotiate with the hunger-striking prisoners, they deprive them of water upon which hunger-striking prisoners depend to stay alive.”
A total of 2,173 political prisoners are being held in prisons throughout Burma. Despite repeated calls by the international community for the release of political prisoners, there is no sign of this happening soon.
“He is demanding authorities deal with injustices and repression facing political prisoners,” said Nyi Nyi Aung's aunt, Khin Khin Swe, who met him during yesterday's family visit.
“He will not stop his hunger strike until and unless he sees better health care for prisoners and is assured of other prisoners' rights,” she said.
Since Nyi Nyi Aung, 40, launched his hunger strike, his family members have expressed concern about his health.
“He still looks fine. But we are very worried about him,” said Khin Khin Swe.
Nyi Nyi Aung, a Burmese political activist who resettled in the United States as a political refugee in 1993, was arrested at Rangoon's International Airport on Sept. 3 this year when he arrived on a flight from Bangkok.
According to the Burmese state-run newspapers, Nyi Nyi Aung entered Burma eight times between November 2005 and September 2009.
Although the Burmese government initially accused him of engaging in terrorist activities, he is now charged with using fake documents and carrying excessive amounts of foreign currency into Burma, according to a press statement from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a Thailand-based organization working for the political prisoners in Burma, released on Monday.
According to AAPP, Nyi Nyi Aung was brutally tortured during the interrogation, and his mother, 61, and a female cousin, 32, are serving long sentences in separate prisons for political offenses.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Bo Kyi, joint secretary of AAPP, said: “Hunger strikes sporadically take place inside Burma's prisons. The authorities usually handle them by negotiation or use of force.”
Hunger strikes usually happen when restrictions on prisoners are too severe. Prisoners usually demand basic rights and better health care and food, according to a former political prisoner, Bo Bo Oo, who was released last September after 20 years in jail.
Bo Bo Oo launched two hunger strikes, one lasting five days and another eleven days while he was living in Myingyan prison, demanding journals and newspapers to read and better food. Bo Bo Oo said the authorities later acceded to his demands.
But the authorities can sometimes be quite tough in handling prisoners' demands, Bo Kyi said. “We have the case of Aung Kyaw Moe, a political prisoner who died in Tharrawaddy Prison during a hunger strike calling for his release, which was long overdue, in 1998.”
“Aung Kyaw Moe was ordered to halt his hunger strike and was beaten to death when he refused to do so,” said Bo Kyi. “Sometimes, if the authorities do not wish to negotiate with the hunger-striking prisoners, they deprive them of water upon which hunger-striking prisoners depend to stay alive.”
A total of 2,173 political prisoners are being held in prisons throughout Burma. Despite repeated calls by the international community for the release of political prisoners, there is no sign of this happening soon.
