Burmese Language
More than 6,300 prisoners to walk free
Burmese state media announced today that 6,359 prisoners will be released tomorrow, although the number of those deemed to be ‘political’ prisoners that are included remains unclear.
A statement read out on MRTV 4 said that those released will be “of old age, suffering poor health and disability, whose moral behaviour has improved after serving an appropriate amount of time”.
It follows weeks of speculation about an impending amnesty, and a statement today from the government-backed National Human Rights Commission calling for “prisoners of conscience” to be freed.
A government source reportedly told AP that “some political detainees” would be included. Burma holds nearly 2,000 MPs, activists, journalists, monks and more behind bars, often in appalling conditions.
Tags: amnesty, burma, myanmar, naypyidaw, political prisoners
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We would like to see all political prisoners of conscience including Min Ko Neing to be released .
Good start! Bravo.Keep it up with the real new Burma promise…
Looking forward to hearing the detail list tomorrow!
This is delightful news of its own accord but I hope it means some broader changes are soon to come.
Until the likes of Min Ko Naing, Khun Htun Oo and the rest of political activists are included in the release, I am still skeptical that Thein Sein’s government is sincere in making fresh reforms on their march to true democracy and are giving this amnesty as propaganda and ” PR ” stint.
There is never a problem of releasing “political prisoners”. These cowards put people in incarceration and regularly torture them for their own fear. And use them like currency for the delight of do-gooders and apologists in the country and abroad. And thses people respond in a predictable synchronous wise-sounding praise. No big deal. They can put them back in jail any time they want and torture and kill them at no extra charge. Besides, if there are people who truely need to be kept in jail like rapists and murderers, it makes no sense to praise these people for relinquishing their responsibility.
“National Human Rights Commission” ? If ther is a need for all the governments and endless do-gooder societies need any other “Commissions” all you need to do is ask.