The Irrawaddy: Expected release of political prisoners (2011-10-10)
Expectations are high that Burma’s political prisoners will be released within days after a Norwegian news agency quoted comments made by Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann during a meeting with Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide in Naypyidaw on Friday during her three-day trip to Burma.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK), which accompanied Eide, reported on TV over the weekend that Shwe Mann had said that an unspecified number of prisoners of conscience will be released within a matter of days.
According to the records of the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP), around 2,000 political prisoners are still serving sentences across the country.
The secretary of AAPP, Tate Naing, said that this marks the first time that any of Burma's top government officials have addressed the issue of political prisoners. He said, “There have been a few occasions when an amnesty has been called, but only 0.05 percent of those released were political prisoners. We have to watch very carefully this time.”
Meanwhile, a family member of detained activist Min Ko Naing said that rumors have spread that political prisoners such as Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi are to be released very soon. He said that he and other family members are planning to go on Thursday to Kengtung where Min Ko Naing is jailed.
The former chairman of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions and a leading member of the 88 Generation Students group, Min Ko Naing was arrested in 1989 for participating in a student-led uprising. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison at that time.
After being released from prison in 2004, he led the “white campaign” that distributed T-shirts to people in Rangoon who wore the T-shirt as a symbol of peaceful opposition to the regime. He was rearrested along with colleagues including Ko Ko Gyi and Htay Kywe on Aug. 21, 2007, on charges of organizing a demonstration that led to the “Saffron Revolution.”
Phyo Min Thein, who is a brother-in-law of Htay Kywe, told The Irrawaddy that the prison authorities are now documenting information about Htay Kywe and some other political prisoners, although the authorities have not informed the detained dissidents if they are to be released.
Htay Kywe was first arrested in 1991 and incarcerated in Rangoon’s notorious Insein Prison for 15 years. He was transferred to Tharrawaddy Prison in 1995 and released in July 2001. But he was continually detained by authorities under the “Protection of the State from Threat Act” (10 A), which allows the military authorities the right to detain suspects arbitrarily. After his release, Htay Kywe co-founded the 88 Generation Students group along with Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Min Zeya and Pyone Cho. From 2005 to 2007, the group conducted several nonviolent activities, including group visits to political prisoners’ homes and holding Buddhist ceremonies at Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon to commemorate political prisoners.
Htay Kywe was also sentenced to 65 years imprisonment on Nov. 11, 2007, with the other 88 students’ leaders Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Mya Aye, Pyone Cho (aka Htay Win Aung), and others.
Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi were transferred to Kengtung Prison in Shan State, 735 miles (1,175 km) northeast of Rangoon; Mya Aye was transferred to Loikaw Prison in Karenni State, eastern Burma; and Pyone Cho was transferred to Kawthaung Prison in Tenasserim Division in southern Burma.
Ma Nyein, a sister-in-law of Zarganar, who is one of the best known figures among political prisoners, said that they haven’t heard any exact information about the release, just rumors.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Monday, Ma Nyein said, “We can’t accept anything yet until we get exact information. We will believe the rumors when he [Zarganar] finally comes home.”
Win Tin, a former political prisoner and a central executive member of the National League for Democracy, said that they had high hopes of a release because the issue was already discussed with Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's leading pro-democracy advocate.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Monday, Win Tin said, “The important thing is how the government recognizes the political prisoners because there are many people who were accused on the Electronics Act, holding of illegal currencies act, illegal border passing act, etc.
"I also hope that if they are released, they can continue to do their jobs without restrictions from the government, because this is a very important time for the government and they need more people’s support.”
Bo Lindblom, Byv. 32, SE-31295 Laholm, 0430O-223 64