A LONGEST POLITICAL PRISONER FREES AND A LEADING BUDDHIST MONK IN FOOD POISONING

Myanmar's longest-serving political prisoner, journalist Win Tin, was freed on Tuesday after 19 years in prison and immediI will keep fighting until the emergence of democracy in this country," he told reporters outside a friend's house in the former Burma's main city, Yangon. He was still wearing his light-blue prison clothes.
The ailing 79-year old was arrested in 1989 and sentenced to 20 years in jail for giving shelter to a girl thought to have received an illegal abortion, and for distributing anti-government propaganda.
He was released on the same day that 9,002 prisoners were set free, but said he had complained to prison officials about being lumped in as part of a nationwide amnesty for mainly ordinary criminals getting out on good behaviour.
"I did not accept their terms for the amnesty. I refused to be one of 9,002," he said, adding that no conditions had been attached to his release.
"Far from it. They should have released me five years ago. They owe me a few years," he said.
He also played down worries about his health, which many human rights groups had feared was in severe decline.
"I am quite OK. I am quite all right," he said.ately vowed to continue his struggle against 46 years of military rule.Military regime granted amnesty for 9002 prisoners on Today newspaper but we could confirm that very few political prisoners were included until 5:30 pm. They are:(1) U Win Tin From Insein Prison – who is a famous journalist(2) Dr.May Win Myint from Insein Prison – who is also MP(3) U Aung Soe Myint from Thayet prison – who is also MP(4) U Khin Maung Swe from LaShow prison – who is also an MP(5) Win Htain – From Kathar prison – who is an personal Assistance to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi(6) Dr.Than Nyein – From Prome prison – who is also an MPU Win Tin, 78 was arrested on July 4, 1989, He had been in prison for over 19 years.Dr. Than Nyein, 72 and Dr.May Win Myint, 59 were arrested in September 1997. They were given 7 years imprisonment. They completer their imprisonment in 2004 but they were arrested again under state protection act " Article 10/a. Both of them had been in prison for almost 11 years.U Khin Maung Swe, 67 was arrested in August 1994. He was given 7 years imprisonment. Even though he was released its 7 years imprisonment in 2001, he had to continue his imprisonment until today. He had been in prison for over 14 years.U Win Htein, 67 was arrested on May 21, 1996. He had been in prison for over 12 years.U Aung Soe Myint, 57, was arrested on August 31, 2003. He had been in prison for over 5 years., NOTES: Today, 40 prisoners were released from Thayet prison but one political prisoner was included.80 prisoners were released from Myitkyinar prison but no political was included.

Ashin Gambira unwell in court and in food poisoning

"I think it is food poisoning because he vomited three times this morning. 'I feel sorry for you because of the stink coming out of my mouth'," his defence lawyer quoted him as saying.He was weak, exhausted and half asleep with his eyes closed during the court proceedings."He inhaled balm brought to him by his younger sisters. They applied balm on his hands and legs and massaged him," the lawyer said."He could not say why he felt unwell. He said he thought it was food poisoning," the lawyer added.He was forcibly disrobed when he was arrested and brought to court in handcuffs. He has been charged under section 13(1) of the Immigration Act, section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act, section 6 of the Associations Act, section 505(b) of the Penal Code (inducing crime against public tranquility) and 295, 145, 147 of the Penal Code (insult to the religion, unlawful assembly), section 17/20 of the Printers and Publishers Act and section 33(a)/38 of the Electronic Law.Ashin Gambira, the leader of the Saffron Revolution, was awarded the 'U Yewata Memorial Peace Prize' by 'All Burma Young Monks Association' (ABYMU-India) and 'Freedom of Expression Prize 2008' by the London based 'Index on Censorship'.On the same day, 21 members of the 88 Generation Students, including student leader Ko Min Ko Naing, were produced in court. The lawyer said that the health situation of the 21 student leaders was good and their family members were allowed to be present inside the courtroom to witness the court proceedings. In military-ruled Burma the jails are filling up with Buddhist monks. Currently, 136 members of the clergy are behind bars, most of them in the notorious Insein Prison in Rangoon.

Bush to meet with dissidents on UN margins

US President George W. Bush will meet with critics of the governments of Russia, China, Venezuela, North Korea, Myanmar and other countries in New York on Tuesday, the White House has said. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush will "host a lunch for political dissidents where they will discuss how to advance the freedom agenda and the protection of the rights and dignities of all people," said spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore Monday.They include chess legend turned Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov; Lodi Gyari, special envoy of the Dalai Lama; Myanmar monk U Kovida; Cuban journalist Omar Pernet Hernandez; and Sang Hak Park, president of "Fighters for Free North Korea," Lawrimore said in a statement.Other guests include Gameela Ismail, wife of Egyptian opposition leader Ayman Nour; Belarus opposition leader Alexander Kozulin; former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky; and Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Zainab Hawa Bangura.The list also includes Vytautas Landsbergis, a member of the European Parliament from Lithuania; Radio Caracas Television chief Marcel Granier of Venezuela; Ausama Monajed for the Movement for Justice and Development in Syria; and founder of the outlawed China Democracy Party Xu Wenli.