Mother Meets Son in Thandwe Prison

Narinjara News
January 30, 2008

Taungup: The mother of a political prisoner in Arakan State had the chance on Monday to meet with her son at Thandwe prison, four months after he was detained by the military authority, reports a relative of hers.

"Daw Saw Pru, who is the mother of detained political prisoner Ko Min Aung, was allowed by prison authorities on that day to meet with her son," he said.

Daw Saw Pru, a native of Taungup in Arakan State, went to Thandwe prison from her hometown after authorities gave her permission to see her son.

Daw Saw Pru confirmed her visit with Narinjara over the phone yesterday, saying, "I went to Thandwe prison to meet with my son. His health is better and revived. He seemed to be enthusiastic for his activities. He told me not to worry about him even though he is now in jail."

Ko Min Aung is a township secretary of the NLD in Taungup and was arrested by the military authority after the monk-led Saffron Revolution, on allegations he had created unrest among the people during the demonstrations in Taungup Township.

A few days after his arrest, the Taungup township court sentenced him to nine and a half years and sent him to Thandwe prison in southern Arakan.

The district court reduced his jail term to two years after he appealed to the district court and asserted his innocence.

The Burmese military authorities released many senior NLD members in Arakan State who had been arrested during the Saffron Revolution, after international organizations and the UN pressured the government to do so.

The authorities have still not released two NLD members currently being held in Arakan State - Ko Min Aung and senior leader U Khin Hla from Taungup Township. Both men are currently being detained in Thandwe prison in Arakan.