Tuesday, 11 October 2011 14:29 Te Te
New Delhi (Mizzima) – A total of 6,359 prisoners now being held across Burma will be released under a presidential amnesty on Wednesday, state-run television announced on Tuesday.
The government, which has never acknowledged that it has “political prisoners,” did not disclose how many political prisoners would be released under the amnesty.
According to the presidential amnesty, the prisoners include the elderly, prisoners in ill health, and prisoners who are handicapped.
Reports said that a number of high-profile political prisoners are expected to be released including the comedian Zarganar; General Say Htin, 75, a patron of the Shan State Army-North who is currently serving a 106-year term in Sittwe prison; and Htay Kywe, an 88 Generation Student leader.
The amnesty will be granted under section 204 (b) of the Constitution, which states: “The President has the power to grant amnesty in accord with the recommendation of the National Defence and Security Council.”
After President Thein Sein entered office earlier this year, he announced a one-year presidential commutation on May 16. About 20,000 prisoners were released, but only a few were political prisoners.
In September, the opposition National Democratic Force (NDF) party said that an amnesty would be effective only if political prisoners are included. Observers said the issue is related to the government’s demand that Western countries lift the economic sanctions imposed on Burma, and other issues such as its campaign to be named chairman of Asean in 2014.
NDF leader Khin Maung Swe, who is a former political prisoner, said: “Now, we need to attempt national reconciliation. If political prisoners are not included in the amnesty, it will not be effective. The authorities know it. The amnesty was delayed because they seem to be pondering whether an uprising could be sparked off again.”
According to figures compiled by the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma, there are 1,998 political prisoners in 42 prisons and 109 labour camps across Burma.
Daw Shu, a caretaker of political prisoners, said rumours went around that prisoners would be released in two batches. “It’s likely that the prisoners who are serving long prison term will also be released,” he said.
On September 28, Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin told the UN General Assembly that prisoners would be released soon.
Many high profile political prisoners are held in Rangoon’s Insein Prison. One of the prison’s most famous inmates was Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was confined there on three separate occasions in 2003, 2007 and 2010, before she was released from house arrest in late 2010.
Suu Kyi told Voice of America in September: "‘It's not enough to have a transition to a democratic government, what we need are for democratic institutions to take firm root in this country, and I would like to be able to help in this process."
In the interview, Suu Kyi said that freeing political prisoners in Burma and the fight for a real democracy were inextricable. “I don't think you can separate different elements of the process towards democracy…the release of political prisoners is one of the aims of trying to democratize our country – that there may be no political prisoners."
Asked when she thought would be the appropriate time for Western sanctions to be lifted from the country, Suu Kyi said, “I think when the reasons for which sanctions were instituted in the first place indicate that real change has taken place and that it is time for a new approach.”
The New York Times reported on Monday that United States Assistant Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell said in a lecture in Bangkok that Washington might soon take steps to improve relations with Burma in light of “dramatic developments under way” in the new government.
Campbell said, “I think it would be fair to say that we will match their steps with comparable steps, and we are looking forward in the course of the next several weeks to continuing a dialogue that has really stepped up in recent months.”
New Delhi (Mizzima) – A total of 6,359 prisoners now being held across Burma will be released under a presidential amnesty on Wednesday, state-run television announced on Tuesday.
The government, which has never acknowledged that it has “political prisoners,” did not disclose how many political prisoners would be released under the amnesty.
 |
| In this file photo, a crowd gathers around Insein Prison on May 17, 2011, the first day of the release of 1,600 prisoners as part of a sentence commutation by the newly formed Burmese government. Photo: Mizzima |
According to the presidential amnesty, the prisoners include the elderly, prisoners in ill health, and prisoners who are handicapped.
Reports said that a number of high-profile political prisoners are expected to be released including the comedian Zarganar; General Say Htin, 75, a patron of the Shan State Army-North who is currently serving a 106-year term in Sittwe prison; and Htay Kywe, an 88 Generation Student leader.
The amnesty will be granted under section 204 (b) of the Constitution, which states: “The President has the power to grant amnesty in accord with the recommendation of the National Defence and Security Council.”
After President Thein Sein entered office earlier this year, he announced a one-year presidential commutation on May 16. About 20,000 prisoners were released, but only a few were political prisoners.
In September, the opposition National Democratic Force (NDF) party said that an amnesty would be effective only if political prisoners are included. Observers said the issue is related to the government’s demand that Western countries lift the economic sanctions imposed on Burma, and other issues such as its campaign to be named chairman of Asean in 2014.
NDF leader Khin Maung Swe, who is a former political prisoner, said: “Now, we need to attempt national reconciliation. If political prisoners are not included in the amnesty, it will not be effective. The authorities know it. The amnesty was delayed because they seem to be pondering whether an uprising could be sparked off again.”
According to figures compiled by the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma, there are 1,998 political prisoners in 42 prisons and 109 labour camps across Burma.
Daw Shu, a caretaker of political prisoners, said rumours went around that prisoners would be released in two batches. “It’s likely that the prisoners who are serving long prison term will also be released,” he said.
On September 28, Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin told the UN General Assembly that prisoners would be released soon.
Many high profile political prisoners are held in Rangoon’s Insein Prison. One of the prison’s most famous inmates was Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was confined there on three separate occasions in 2003, 2007 and 2010, before she was released from house arrest in late 2010.
Suu Kyi told Voice of America in September: "‘It's not enough to have a transition to a democratic government, what we need are for democratic institutions to take firm root in this country, and I would like to be able to help in this process."
In the interview, Suu Kyi said that freeing political prisoners in Burma and the fight for a real democracy were inextricable. “I don't think you can separate different elements of the process towards democracy…the release of political prisoners is one of the aims of trying to democratize our country – that there may be no political prisoners."
Asked when she thought would be the appropriate time for Western sanctions to be lifted from the country, Suu Kyi said, “I think when the reasons for which sanctions were instituted in the first place indicate that real change has taken place and that it is time for a new approach.”
The New York Times reported on Monday that United States Assistant Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell said in a lecture in Bangkok that Washington might soon take steps to improve relations with Burma in light of “dramatic developments under way” in the new government.
Campbell said, “I think it would be fair to say that we will match their steps with comparable steps, and we are looking forward in the course of the next several weeks to continuing a dialogue that has really stepped up in recent months.”
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