Pathein Prison
Mizzima
There is a shortage of drinking water in several Myanmar prisons, including Insein, Pyapon, and Kalay prisons which is causing inmates health problems, according to the Political Prisoners Network-Myanmar (PPNM).
PPNM found that 12 prisons are grappling with water shortages after it surveyed 21 prisons throughout Myanmar in the first half of May.
“With Myanmar now in the hot summer season, the lack of clean drinking water in prisons is exacerbating health issues”, said a PPNM representative.
He said that prisoners are getting diarrhea from drinking unclean water and are suffering from skin ailments such as itching from bathing with polluted water.
The available drinking water contains high levels of lime and silt which contributes to inmates suffering from nutritional deficiencies and debilitating diseases such as quadriplegia, according to PPNM.
Prisoners are also restricted to using about 20 cups of water for each shower, said PPNM.
In Mandalay Region’s Meiktila Prison inmates face stringent restrictions on water use. For showering they are only allowed to use 20 cups of water, 10 for before they apply soap and a further 10 cups to wash off the soap. Sometimes, when water is particularly scarce the prisoners are forced to bathe with only 15 cups of water. Due to Meiktila Prison providing insufficient water prisoners have had to buy water from external sources at the expensive price of 65,000 kyats per truck of water.
Former prisoners at Pyay Prison in Bago Region have suffered kidney ailments on their release from prison because inmates at Pyay Prison do not have access to clean water from outside sources and have to rely solely on water provided by the prison.
Inmates at Pathein Prison, in Ayeyarwady Region, and Myitkyina Prison in Kachin State were forced to buy water from outside sources because the water dispensers in the prison were not working properly. They also have limited showering facilities.
Inmates have unclean water and are forced to bathe with water contaminated with algae, which is leading to skin ailments in Pyapon Prison in the Ayeyarwady Region; Gangaw Prison in Magway Region; and Katha and Kalay Prisons in Sagaing Region.
The PPNM survey also shed light on other alarming conditions in the prisons. For instance, In Yangon’s Insein Prison, inmates who are already suffering from skin irritations and itching due to limited access to clean water and showering facilities also face frequent power cuts, making life even more uncomfortable.
Prisoners in Bago Region’s Tharyarwaddy Prison are also suffering power outages as well as water shortages.
PPNM has also pointed out that the results of its survey may well underestimate the problem of water shortages in Myanmar prisons.
Before the February 2021 Myanmar coup rights organisations such as the International Red Cross and the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission routinely visited prisons to monitor conditions. However, since the coup, external groups have been denied access to prisons, allowing prison authorities to operate without oversight, according to PPNM.
PPNM says that it will continue trying to scrutinise conditions in Myanmar prisons and document human rights abuses committed in the prisons so that those responsible for the abuses can face accountability for their crimes in the future.
