To Association of South East Asian Nations member countries:

Already a year has passed since thirty political leaders from Shan State who were peacefully advocating for political reform were arrested by the Burmese military regime.

Among the political leaders who were arrested on 8-9 February 2005 were Hkun Htun Oo, leader of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, which won the majority of seats in Shan State in the 1990 election, and Maj. Gen. Hso Ten, Chairman of the Shan State Peace Council, an alliance of Shan ceasefire armies.

Despite international calls for their release, Hkun Htun Oo and other Shan State leaders remain under detention. On 2 November 2005, after secret trials, they were given lengthy prison terms by the regime for charges ranging from “defamation of the State” to “illegal association.”

63-year-old Hkun Htun Oo was sentenced to 93 years imprisonment; 106 years was given to 67-year-old Sao Hso Hten; 85 years to SNLD General Secretary Sai Noot, and 75 years to other Shan State political leaders.

As further punishment, the various political leaders have been transferred to prisons in different remote regions of Burma. Hkun Htun Oo is in Putao Prison, in Kachin State, northern Burma. Sao Hso Hten has been sent to Hkamti, in Sagaing Division, northwestern Burma; Sai Noot is in Kalemyo, also in Sagaing Division. Other leaders have been sent to prisons in Arakan State, western Burma.

One of those sent to Arakan State, 54-year-old U Myint Than, who was sentenced to 79 years, with hard labour, died of chest pains and a stroke on May 2, 2006, without receiving proper medical treatment. He had been tortured.

The arrests of these Shan State leaders coincided with the reconvening of the regime’s sham National Convention, which is being held to rubber stamp a constitution that will perpetuate military rule.

The regime is clearly desperate to stamp out all opposition to this illegitimate process. It has
recently extended for another year the detention of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy. She has been under house arrest since 30 May 2003, when a bloody massacre was carried out on her followers in northern Burma.

Now, the regime is seeking to annihilate the ethnic opposition. Like Aung San Suu Kyi, the Shan State leaders now languishing in remote prisons have committed no crime other than attempting to restore democratic rights to the people.

We therefore urge you:

• to condemn these unlawful imprisonments and demand the immediate release of Hkun Htun Oo, other Shan State leaders and all political prisoners in Burma

• to pressure Burma’s military regime to immediately implement a nationwide ceasefire and begin tripartite dialogue with the National League for Democracy and genuine representatives of the ethnic nationalities to begin a meaningful process of political reform

• to act immediately to bring Burma to the UN Security Council

Letter to ASEAN in 4 languages (English, Tai, Burmese, Thai)

Statement from Free Hkun Htun Oo campaign, Thailand

Statement on 63rd Birthday of Shan State leader Khun Htun Oo

Global Shan
Thailand, United Kingdom, United State of America, Japan and Australia
September 11, 2006

Today is the 63rd Birthday of our Shan State leader Khun Htun Oo who has been persistently and peacefully struggling for democracy in Shan State and Burma.

On his 63rd birthday, Hkun Htun Oo remains in Putao Prison, in Kachin State, northern Burma.

Along with other Shan State Leaders, Hkun Htun Oo was given lengthy prison terms by the regime for charges ranging from “defamation of the State” to “illegal association” on 2 November 2005.

Khun Htun Oo is the chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), the political party which won the most seats in the 1990 election in Shan State after the National League for Democracy (NLD).

Even though they were not given political space after the election, Khun Htun Oo has been continually leading the SNLD and cooperating with other ethnic groups in Burma in the struggle for peace and democracy. With other ethnic groups, Khun Htun Oo as chairman of SNLD has been working to get understanding and support from the international community.

The military regime arrested Hkun Htun Oo and thirty other political leaders in Shan State on 8-9 February 2005. Nine months after the arrest, Hkun Htun Oo was sentenced to 93 years imprisonment; 106 years was given to 67-year-old Sao Hso Hten, 85 years to SNLD General Secretary Sai Noot, and 75 years to other Shan State political leaders. They were sent to different prisons in remote regions of Burma.

One of those sentenced to 79 years’ imprisonment, 54-year-old U Myint Than, who was transferred to a prison in Arakan State with hard labour, died of chest pains and a stroke on May 2, 2006, without receiving proper medical treatment.

Regardless of the international calls for the release of Hkun Htun Oo, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung Sun Suu Kyi, and other political prisoners, the military continues to detain Hkun Htun Oo and has extended the detention of Aung Sun Suu Kyi for another year.

On this occasion of Hkun Htun Oo’s 63rd birthday, we extend our best wishes for his health and safety during this unjust imprisonment.

Moreover, for the freedom of our political leaders and in order to bring about peaceful political change, we would like to urge the cooperation of the international community especially the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN):

1. to condemn the unlawful imprisonments and demand the immediate release of Hkun Htun Oo, other Shan State leaders and all political prisoners in Burma
2. to pressure Burma’s military regime to immediately implement a nationwide ceasefire and begin tripartite dialogue with the National League for Democracy and genuine representatives of the ethnic nationalities to begin a meaningful process of political reform
3. to act immediately to bring Burma to the UN Security Council

For more information, contact:
Ying Lao +66 9 6336845
Email: free_hkunhtunoo@yahoo.com

• Photographs
• more Photographs
• Speeches (audio recordings made on 11th Sept. 2006)

More info at: www.tai-nation.org

Khun Htun Oo (11/09/06 Statement in Burmese)

Khun Htun Oo (Network Media Group)

Exiled Shan communities in several countries launched a campaign on Monday for the release of imprisoned ethnic leaders, currently serving long prison terms in jails across Burma. The campaign coincides with the 63rd birthday of detained Shan leader Hkun Htun Oo, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, who remains in prison in Putao, Kachin State. Shan activists in Thailand, Australia, Japan, UK and the US plan to hold simultaneous events in support of the detained leaders, while activists are preparing to submit letters of appeal to offices of the UN in Bangkok and Tokyo on Monday, according to Thailand-based Shan campaigner Ying Lao. Activists are also circulating petitions for the release of the ethnic leaders and will submit them to the UN General Assembly.

Shan leaders, including Maj-Gen Hso Ten, president of the Shan State Peace Council, Hkun Htun Oo and Sai Nyunt Lwin, chairman and general secretary respectively of the SNLD, were arrested in last February on charges of high treason. A special court in Rangoons Insein prison sentenced Hso Ten to 46 years and three life sentences, while Hkun Htun Oo received 53 years and two life sentences. Sai Nyunt Lwin was given 25 years and two life sentences. Following the sentence, Hkun Htun Oo was sent to Putao Prison in Kachin State. Sai Nyunt Lwin was transferred to Kalay prison, and Hso Ten was sent to Hkamti prison, both in Sagaing division, in late November 2005. Another detained leader, 54-year-old Myint Than of the Shan New Generation, died in a prison in Arakan State in May while serving a 79-year sentence.

http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=6131&print=yes&c=e