Wednesday, May 28, 2008

AAPP Ex-Political Prisoner Portraits

AAPP Member
AAPP Member

AAPP (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, Burma) operates out of Mae Sot and deals with ex-political prisoners in exile from Burma and fights for the rights of political prisoners still in Burma / Myanmar. Read more on their website.

My friend Dan Welch (Conn College '05) is doing a piece on the ex-political prisoners living in Mae Sot. He asked me to do a couple of portraits, which I happily agreed to.

Living in Thailand to escape the junta, the AAPP members fear re-arrest by the Thai authorities on the street or at the market as the Thai Police make a habit of regularly arresting Burmese "Illegal Migrant Workers". One refugee ex-political prisoner confided in me that he always carries 300 Baht in his side pocket and fake papers just in case he is approached by police as he goes about his business in town so that he can bribe his way out of an ugly situation.

Note: the AAPP members consented to having these photographs published.


AAPP Member
AAPP Member