To

Petitions Team

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

United Nations Office at Geneva

1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Fax: +41 22 917 9022

(particularly for urgent matters)

E-mail: tb-petitions@ohchr.org

Date: February 28, 2003

Subject: Critical Health Condition of Mon Leaders in Moulmein Jail, Burma.

Dear Sir/ Madam,

Mon National Council is writing this letter with intention to draw world attention upon the critical health conditions of Mon Leaders in Moulmein. Mon National Council, on behalf of Mon Communities around the world, would like to earnestly request High Commissioner for Human Rights to take Urgent Actions for Mon Leaders who have suffered serious illness for long time in the Moulmein Jail, Burma.

Since 1998, Nai Ngwe Thein, Vice-Chairman of Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), Dr. Min Soe Lin (MP), Secretary of MNDF, Dr. Min Kyi Win (MP), Joint-Secretary of MNDF have been sentenced for long terms and have been kept in the jail, because of their political conscience. They have to serve a long terms of imprisonment imposed upon them by the State Peace and Development Council's Law Court because of supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, for convening National Assembly. Now they have already served nearly (6) years in the Jail. Because of long years in the Jail where there is no nutritious food and clean water, their health conditions are deteriorating every day. Dr. Min Soe Lin (MP) has been suffering Tuberculosis long time ago and now he is in a critical condition. At the latest development he vomits blood very often and blood always comes out from his mouth about half of kilo whenever he has coughing. According to his family, he could die at any time if he has to stay in the jail for another few months. We, Mon Communities around the world, have a great concern for his health condition in the jail. It is quite sure he would die in the next few months if he has to stay in the jail where there is no medicine and no permenant medical doctor to look after the political prisoners. His family has been trying very hard to get him out from jail for medical treatment in Moulmein General Hospital but up to now the authorities concerned flatly denied his family's request.

Nai Ngwe Thein, (80) year old, is suffering diabetes mellitus long time ago and now he has serious kidney problem with edema. As he is getting old, his health condition is extremely deteriorating every day and he is also in a critical condition and he needs an urgent treatment. Dr. Min Kyi Win (MP) has serious gastric problem and he also needs an urgent medical treatment as well.

So Mon National Council, on behalf of Mon Communities around the world, would like to request High Commissioner for Human Rights to take Urgent Actions and to put strong pressure upon the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), Burma, for releasing of all these Mon Leaders immediately.

Yours truly,

(Nai Hongsawatoi)

Co-ordinator

Mon National Council