Statement on the 6th Anniversary of Nai Yekha's and Nai Cheem Gakao's Imprisonments (July 17, 2009)

It has been six years since July 17, 2003 when Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao were detained and imprisoned in Burma solely on account of their peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and association. They were initially sentenced to death under the security law. Their death sentances were later commuted to terms of life inprisonment. While Nai Yekha has been held in the co untry’s largest and most notorious prison, Insein, Nai Cheem Gakao has been held in the Tharyarwaddy prison. They are often kept in unsanitary conditions with no access to medical care. Today, July 17, 2009, on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of their imprisonments, we, Mon people around the world join Nai Yekha's and Nai Cheem Gakao's families to pray for their well-being and freedoms.

Like over 2000 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Burma, Mon political prisoners Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao were imprisoned solely on account of their peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao are members of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and they had been simply organizing activities to help bring about freedom and democracy in Burma . They are simply helpless victims of the military regime’s longstanding misuse of the state’s power as a tool of political repression and a means to restrict the peaceful exercise of basic human rights.

Burma currently holds around 2,100 political prisoners in jails across the country. Some of the political prisoners have been given sentences of staggering absurdity, for simply expressing an opinion, and jailed in remote locations hundreds of miles from relatives. Sentences have been handed down in trials which fall far short of international fair trial standards and at which the right to legal counsel or to legal counsel of one’s own choice has been denied. Authorities have used confessions in trials extracted as a result of torture.

The plight of political prisoners in Burma like Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakoa has been neglected for too long. Now the time has come to say enough is enough. It is time for the UN and international community to take a more active and effective action on Burma. Therefore, on this occasion, we strong ly urge:

* The Burmese military regime to immediately release Nai Yekha, Nai Cheem Gakao, and all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Burma.
* The international community to support the efforts to bringing Burma case to the United Nation Security Council.


Overseas Mon Coordinating Committee (OMCC)

(OMCC is comprised of 1. Monland Restoration Council (USA), Mon Canadian Society, Australia Mon Association, and Euro Mon Community)

Media Contacts:
Nai Siri Mon Chan (Australia) Tel: + 61 433-555-372
Nai Kun Yekha (USA) Tel: 260-515-9885 (cell)