Burma's military has been cracking down on dissidents and ethnic minorities, rights activists say.
RANGOON/LONDON (BosNewsLife)-- The daughter of a detained prominent Burmese dissident fears her father will die in prison.
In a statement, seen by BosNewsLife Tuesday, March 10, Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, 20, said “Unless the situation in Burma changes, I will never see my father again.”
Wai Hnin’s father, Mya Aye, is currently serving a 65 year prison sentence after peacefully protesting against Burma’s military government, advocacy groups say.
Her comments were released following the annual 'Global Day of Prayer for Burma' in London, organized by Britain-based Christian rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), which is investigating the situation in Burma, also known as Myanmar.
BURMA CAMPAIGN
Wai Hnin told the estimated 150 delegates attending the prayer day that she arrived in Britain in 2005 to avoid arrest at home. She now volunteers at the pro-democracy 'Burma Campaign UK', and fights for the of Burma’s political prisoners.
Her eight year old sister still lives with her mother in Rangoon and Wai Hnin’s refugee status means "she is unable to visit them," CSW said.
Delegates gathering at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster also discussed the reported government crackdown on Burma's ethnic minorities, including many Christians.
Karen, Karenni, Shan Kachin, Chin and Rohingyas are among those targetted by Burma's army.
Thousands of villagers have been displaced because of attacks by government forces in recent months, and famine speading in Chin State and other areas, according to rights activists.
NEW ELECTIONS
This year‘s Global Day of Prayer for Burma was "particularly important in light of the forthcoming 2010 elections currently being planned by Burma’s military regime," said CSW’s East Asia Team Leader Benedict Rogers.
He said human suffering in Burma has been underscored by the "devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis" of 2008, and famine.
He said CSW has urged supporters to pressure the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "to intensify his efforts to facilitate a process of meaningful dialogue between Burma’s military regime, the democracy movement and the ethnic nationalities. Concrete action must be taken without further delay”.
The Burmese authorities have denied wrongdoing and describe reports of widespread human rights abuses, as "American" and "Western propaganda."
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