Burmese heroine honoured by her MP and fellow activists

Jul 30, 2006 (DVB) - A formal ceremony honouring human rights activist Su Su Nway, the villager from Rangoon Kawmoo Township's Htan Manaing, was held at the home of the local National League for Democracy (NLD) elected representative (MP) Myaungmya Ba Swe's home today.

Only around 50 party members and supporters were able to attend the ceremony as the authorities, especially the police carried out extensive and unnecessary searches and interrogations of potential attendants. The ceremony was originally to be held on 25 July and permission was sought from the local authorities but it was rejected by the order of the divisional authorities.

Su Su Nway is the first person ever in Burma to have successfully sued her local authority members over forced labour practices. But, as an act of revenge, she was subsequently counter-sued with trumped up charges by them and jailed for 18 months last October 13 on charges of criminal intimidation after complaints lodged by local officials.

he was sent to the notorious Rangoon Insein Jail and released on 6 June due to pressure from the international community especially the International Labour Organisation (ILO). [Source]