Monday, 05 September 2011 19:53 Mizzima News
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Indian MPs have signed a letter to Burmese President Thein Sein urging the immediate release of political prisoners currently in prison in Burma.
More than 100 Indian MPs from various parties signed the letter, according to a press release issued by Ram Jethmalani, an MP and one of the organizers of the Parliamentarians’ Forum for Democracy in Burma. The MPs who signed the petition are from both ruling parties and opposition parties. The main ruling party is the Congress Party while the main opposition party is the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP.
The forum will hold a press conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on Tuesday in which they will support the call by Burmese opposition leader and and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi for the release of Burma's political prisoners and will announce the sending of the signed letter to President Thein Sein.
There are still 1,995 political prisoners languishing in prisons in Burma. They have been kept in deplorable and inhuman conditions, according to the forum. Many of them have been sentenced to 65 years and more of rigorous imprisonment, and have little hope of ever leaving prison.
The release of Aung San Syu Kyi by the new government has been a welcome move, according to the forum. However, her release alone does not signify Burma’s transition to democracy. If the new government is serious about its intention of promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Burma then it is incumbent upon the new government of Burma to release all the other political prisoners too, who constitute no other threat than that of being the voice of dissent, said the lawmakers.
The Indian parliamentarians “hope to see a genuine democratic system in Burma and, as the first step towards peace and reconciliation in Burma, we call upon the President and the government of Burma to release all political prisoners in the country. Their release will be a positive step in the spirit of conciliation and dialogue that Burma now needs.”
The Indian Parliamentarians’ Forum for Democracy in Burma was established in 2005 (http://www.indoburmanews.net/documents/movements) and currently has 18 MPs (across parties).
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Indian MPs have signed a letter to Burmese President Thein Sein urging the immediate release of political prisoners currently in prison in Burma.
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| An aeriel view of Insein Prison in Rangoon, which is home to many Burmese political prisoners. Photo: Mizzima |
The forum will hold a press conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on Tuesday in which they will support the call by Burmese opposition leader and and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi for the release of Burma's political prisoners and will announce the sending of the signed letter to President Thein Sein.
There are still 1,995 political prisoners languishing in prisons in Burma. They have been kept in deplorable and inhuman conditions, according to the forum. Many of them have been sentenced to 65 years and more of rigorous imprisonment, and have little hope of ever leaving prison.
The release of Aung San Syu Kyi by the new government has been a welcome move, according to the forum. However, her release alone does not signify Burma’s transition to democracy. If the new government is serious about its intention of promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Burma then it is incumbent upon the new government of Burma to release all the other political prisoners too, who constitute no other threat than that of being the voice of dissent, said the lawmakers.
The Indian parliamentarians “hope to see a genuine democratic system in Burma and, as the first step towards peace and reconciliation in Burma, we call upon the President and the government of Burma to release all political prisoners in the country. Their release will be a positive step in the spirit of conciliation and dialogue that Burma now needs.”
The Indian Parliamentarians’ Forum for Democracy in Burma was established in 2005 (http://www.indoburmanews.net/documents/movements) and currently has 18 MPs (across parties).
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