Whether these prisoners are dying of HIV disease or tuberculosis, the point is that there is inadequate care for them.

More Burmese prisoners die of HIV/AIDS

Mar 15, 2006 (DVB) - Increasing numbers of inmates have died from HIV/AIDS during previous months at the notorious Tharawaddy Jail in lower central Burma, situated north of Rangoon, according to a Burmese health staff who doesn’t want to be identified.

According to the staff, at least 40 prisoners have died since early this year. When DVB contacted a doctor on duty at the prison for comments, he/she confirmed that the report is correct. The same doctor said that the situation has become worse since the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) members were barred from visiting prisons at the end of last year. Around two prisoners a day on average have died from illnesses and many of the surviving ones are also suffering from tuberculosis and severe malnutrition.

According to someone who was released from the prison recently, a team of the junta-sponsored Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) central members led by Maj-Gen Than Htay came to the prison and interrogate prisoners and told them that they will be taken action against if they request help from the ICRC.

A district level USDA official promised to provide a television set, medicines and raise the quality of prison food (usually not suitable for human consumption)for prisoners, but not only nothing has been done about the promises, but also prisoners were each forced to ‘contribute’ 300 kyat and a packet of coffee mix to the costs of the uninvited visit of the team.

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