Myanmar amnesty of some 200 political prisoners disappoints

Oct 13, 2011, 10:28 GMT

Yangon - Myanmar's release of an estimated 200 political prisoners this week left hundreds more still in detention, falling far short of the mass release observers were anticipating, sources said Thursday.

'The amnesty included at least 199 political prisoners,' said Nyan Win, spokesman for the National League for Democracy opposition party, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

'We expected they would run into problems with a general amnesty for political prisoners,' Nyan Win said. 'For instance, what about former military intelligence chief Khin Nyunt? He is a political prisoner along with about 40-50 military intelligence guys.'

Khin Nyunt and his military intelligence unit fell from grace in 2004, and most have been in detention since.

The only military intelligence officer to be released on Wednesday was Hla Min, a former spokesman for the junta that ruled Myanmar between 1988 and 2010, sources confirmed.

The government said it released 6,359 prisoners Wednesday on humanitarian grounds and 'for the sake of the nation' in a move watched closely by the international community for signs of an improvement in Myanmar's human rights record under its new government, which took office six months ago.

Although several well-known political activists were released Wednesday, including the comedian U Maung Thura, better known as Zargaran, many more remained in jail.

'Many other prominent political prisoners such as Min Ko Naing, U Khun Tun Oo, U Gambira and so on were not included among those released,' said the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma (AAPPB), which has estimated that there are 2,100 political prisoners.

The association said 207 political prisoners were released in Wednesday's amnesty.

Myanmar has never acknowledged there are political prisoners in its jails.

'Unless they are recognized as political prisoners and their records erased, they will continue to be persecuted in a form of ongoing repression,' AAPPB said in a statement. 'While AAPP welcomes the release of political prisoners, it is much too soon for euphoria.'

A comprehensive release of political prisoners is seen as crucial for the normalization of ties between Myanmar and Western democracies, which have imposed sanctions on the country since 1988 after the army cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrators, leaving about 3,000 dead.

The United States welcomed this week's releases but called for further steps from the government, which took office from a military junta after the country's first elections in 20 years.

'I am glad a number of innocent civilians being held as political prisoners have been released, but I am disappointed that this step does not include the release of all individuals that are being wrongfully held,' US Congressman Joseph Crowley said.

'Bold and significant actions, not just words, are needed for true democratic reform in Burma,' he said of Myanmar's government, which is led by former military men. 'I hope Burma's military regime will do the right thing and release all remaining political prisoners, and I urge them to do so immediately and unconditionally.'