Myanmar political prisoner amnesty imminent
======================================================
Daily Times, Pak
Tuesday, October 11, 2011======================================================
YANGON: Myanmar is set to announce a prisoner amnesty that will include political detainees in the coming days, government officials in the military-dominated country said on Monday.
“Political prisoners will be released. But we still do not know whether all of them will be freed,” said one official who did not want to be named, adding that the pardon was expected “within days”.
A second official said the release would come before President Thein Sein leaves Wednesday on an official visit to India.
The release of the country’s estimated 2,000 political prisoners, who include pro-democracy campaigners, journalists and lawyers, has long been a top demand of Western nations which imposed sanctions on Myanmar. Hopes of an amnesty have been growing following signs of political change under a new nominally civilian leadership that has reached out to critics including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, freed in November herself.
The regime, which came to power after controversial elections held a few days earlier, appears keen to improve its international image and in August held the first talks between Suu Kyi and Thein Sein, a former general. afp
“Political prisoners will be released. But we still do not know whether all of them will be freed,” said one official who did not want to be named, adding that the pardon was expected “within days”.
A second official said the release would come before President Thein Sein leaves Wednesday on an official visit to India.
The release of the country’s estimated 2,000 political prisoners, who include pro-democracy campaigners, journalists and lawyers, has long been a top demand of Western nations which imposed sanctions on Myanmar. Hopes of an amnesty have been growing following signs of political change under a new nominally civilian leadership that has reached out to critics including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, freed in November herself.
The regime, which came to power after controversial elections held a few days earlier, appears keen to improve its international image and in August held the first talks between Suu Kyi and Thein Sein, a former general. afp
=================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment