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Leading Monk Charged with Treason

By Wai Moe

November 15, 2007

A 29 year-old leading monk in the recent mass demonstrations, U Gambira, has been charged with treason by the Burmese junta, according to his family. The punishment for high treason in Burma is a life sentence or death.

His mother told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that authorities told U Gambira's family that he is charged with treason for his leading role in the September mass demonstrations.

U Gambira was arrested from a hiding place in Kyaukse, central Burma, in early November. "They [the security forces] also arrested his father at the time," said U Gambira's mother.

U Gambira, leader of the Alliance of All Burma Buddhist Monks, which played a significant role in the September demonstrations, had been in hiding since the demonstrations were violently suppressed by the authorities.

U Gambira was born in the town of Pauk in central Burma. He has three brothers and one sister.

"I am very worried," said his mother. "I am so sad for my son and my husband. They might be tortured during interrogation. But I am proud of him [U Gambira]. Since his childhood, my son has been active in helping other people."

The monk's father, Min Lwin, is believed to be in Burma's infamous Insein Prison, said U Gambira's mother.

U Gambira's brother, Kyaw Kyaw, was also arrested in October as an exchange while the monk was in hiding. But his brother has not been freed since the monk's capture. His mother and three other family members were also detained and interrogated before he was arrested.

In October, the mother and mother-in-law of an activist, Thet Thet Aung, were also detained as the authorities called for an exchange with the fugitive activist. Human rights organizations claim this form of arresting activists' family members is simply "taking hostages."

In the past, monk leaders have been charged with treason for their leading roles in peaceful demonstrations. In 1989, U Kawira, a leading monk from Mandalay, was sentenced to death for treason. He was a monk leader during the 1988 uprising.