How many political activists are imprisoned in Burma and who are they?
There are more than 2,100 political activists imprisoned in Burma in more than 90 prisons, jails and labor camps throughout the country. These prisoners represent a broad cross-section of Burmese society: activists, politicians, journalists, Buddhist monks and nuns, artists, poets, and musicians. Burma’s political prisoners include Burma’s most famous comedian, Zargana (aka Zarganar, or his real name, Maung Thura), an outspoken critic of military rule for more than 20 years; Min Ko Naing, a leader of the 1988 student-led uprising in Burma; Su Su Nway, a prominent labor activist who has protested against the widespread use of forced labor by military authorities; and U Gambira, a 30 year-old Buddhist monk who was one of the key leaders of the September 2007 demonstrations. Why are these people in prison? These activists are in prison because they represent a threat to military rule in Burma. The military government is threatened by peaceful acts that they perceive to be critical of the
