MYANMAR
Myanmar Times-Apr 19
The Presidential Office announced on Tuesday that 8541 prisoners, including 51 foreigners, were released from prisons across the country.
According to the AAPP (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners) only 36 of those freed were political prisoners.
Only one female was among those released by decree of Myanmar President U Win Myint on Tuesday, to mark Myanmar New Year’s Day. Most of the inmates released were those imprisoned under drug-related cases. They numbered over 6000.
One political prisoner who was released from Thayawaddy prison was, Than Chaung aka Sao Kun Kyaw. He received four death sentences and life in prison for killing student activists in northern Shan State.
His victims were members of the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) who were accused of spying for military intelligence by left-leaning leaders of the ABSDF.
The brutal murders were only brought to justice after the Reconciliation Council of Shan State (RCSS) handed Sao Kun Kyaw over to Myanmar authorities. He was hated and hounded by ABSDF activists for years.
“To bring peace and pleasure to people’s hearts, and for the sake of humanitarian support, 8490 prisoners from respective prisons will be pardoned,” according to the statement issued by the Office of the President.
U Zaw Htay said nearly 2000 were members of the military and police, jailed under the Military Act or Police Disciplinary Act.
One of those freed was Saw War Lay, a member of the Karen ethnic minority who was arrested in 2006 and was serving a life sentence for his connection with the ethnic Karen National Union rebel group.
“Many thanks to the president. And I wish he will be successful in his peace process,” he told The Associated Press, referring to government efforts to reach an agreement with all the ethnic minorities to end decades of conflict. “But I am so sad for those prisoners who (are) still inside.”
Two Christian pastors from the Kachin minority were freed from a prison in Lashio in northern Myanmar, in a more recent and high-profile case.
Last year, Pastor Dumdaw Nawng Lat, 65, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison and Baptist youth leader Langjaw Gam Seng, 35, was sentenced to two years and three months for allegedly providing support to an armed ethnic group and defaming the military.
In the aftermath of a government offensive in northern Myanmar, they helped journalists report on a Catholic church that was destroyed in an airstrike in November 2016. Combat in the area continues.
“We are here with both of them, and the whole Baptist community is very happy to have them back,” lawyer Brang Di said by phone. “Everyone is praying for them and encouraging them.”
Although called an amnesty, the action appeared to actually be a mass pardon, meaning it would cover only prisoners who had already been convicted of crimes. Two Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, facing a high-profile freedom of the press trial for possessing secret official documents were not covered by the action.
One of the journalists’ lawyers, Khin Maung Zaw, said his understanding was that the president was only pardoning convicted criminals.
Bo Kyi, secretary of the Thailand-based AAPP, said the group was waiting to confirm the releases.
“We don’t know exactly if all 36 political prisoners will be released or not, and that’s why the family members are waiting outside of the prison,” he said.
The group, which has extensive experience in monitoring the incarceration of political prisoners, says that 54 are currently serving prison terms after being convicted, 74 are in detention awaiting trial, and another 120 are awaiting trial but are not detained.
The Facebook page of Deputy Information Minister Aung Hla Tun said the presidential action was taken “as a gesture of marking the Myanmar New Year and after taking into consideration the prevalence of peace of mind among the people, humanitarian concerns and friendly relations among nations.”
The release of political prisoners was a priority of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy when it took power from a pro-military government in March 2016. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the country’s de facto leader, holding the specially created post of state counsellor. Constitutional rules prohibit her from serving as president because her two children are British, as was her late husband.
When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s government took power in 2016, it made it a priority to release political prisoners detained during military rule, freeing almost 200 within a month.
However, critics of her government say it also has pursued politically motivated prosecutions, citing cases against land rights activists and journalists.
