by Solomon
Monday, 23 February 2009 23:05
New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Assistant Association for Political Prisoners Burma, an activist group, has said that at least 23 political prisoners were included among the 6313 prisoners, who have been given amnesty by Burma's ruling junta on Saturday.
The Thailand-based AAPP-B, which monitors the situation of political prisoners in Burma, said so far the junta had released over 6,000 prisoners, including only 23 political prisoners, a few monks, members of the opposition party – National League for Democracy, and other activists.
Burma's ruling military junta, which has persistently denied the presence of political prisoners in Burma, on Friday said, it would grant amnesty to prisoners, who had a record of good conduct as a second chance to rebuild their lives and prepare themselves to participate in the upcoming 2010 elections.
However, critics and opposition parties said there might be other reasons for the release than merely granting the prisoners a second chance, as the junta, which has a history of making moves to decrease mounting international pressure, cannot be trusted.
Tate Naing, General Secretary of AAPP-B said, the prisoners release was a part of the junta's efforts to ease off pressure mounting on them, and was a show case, as there were few political prisoners included, among those released.
"It is very much evident, the junta wants to ease pressure from the international community and this is the way they act, whenever they face mounting pressure," Tate Naing said.
The announcement of the release of 6,313 prisoners across the country came a day after the United Nations Human Rights envoy wound up a six-day visit to the country. During the visit, Tomas Ojea Quintana said he had suggested to Burma's military authorities to implement progressive release of political prisoners.
Quintana, during a brief press conference at Rangoon's International Airport before leaving the country, said the junta officials, whom he had met, responded to him saying they would consider his suggestions.
"The release of prisoners, cannot be a development because they released only a few political prisoners and even those political prisoners are the ones nearing completion of their prison terms," said Tate Naing.
"If they release all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 88 generation students then we could say it was a real development," he added.
Win Tin, veteran journalist and NLD's CEC member, who is also a former political prisoner, said the junta's amnesty was a move to save face at international forums, and to ease pressure on them.
He said, the junta knows that regional countries would pressurize them at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, to be held at the end of this month in Thailand, and for which it was making plans to save face.
"The junta never really wants to release political prisoners, so this amnesty is an act to ease off pressure," added Win Tin.
He said, the junta had expertly used UN Human Rights envoy, Tomas Ojea Quintana, to put off international criticism. This would further delay the process of national reconciliation in Burma.
"Whoever comes to Burma should try to stop the suffering of the people and not investigate human rights abuse, because abuse is already here," Win Tin said.
Win Tin had turned down a meeting proposed by Quintana, during his six-day visit, saying he could not be singly met and the meeting would require an official notice to his party NLD, and must be conducted as a meeting between the UN envoy and the NLD.
"Even the UN Secretary General has said the release of political prisoners would be considered the first tangible result, but we see that it has not happened as yet," he added.
Nyo Ohn Myint, in-charge of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the NLD- Liberated Areas (NLD-LA) said, the recent amnesty to prisoners was a move by the junta to confuse the ASEAN and to ease off criticism over its proposed 2010 general elections.
"The junta wants to ease off pressure by regional countries at the upcoming ASEAN summit and the release of prisoners would give them some points to bargain," said Nyo Ohn Myint.
He also said, the junta was looking forward to the 2010 elections and wants to claim that it had released prisoners, before the elections were held, as demanded by the international community.
But, he added if they claimed that there was equality for all to participate in the 2010 elections, the junta should prove it by releasing all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
Source: Mizzima News
