New Delhi (Mizzima) – Four candidates who lost in 2010 general election are trying to get permission from the authority for distribution of pamphlets and giving interview to media.
These four candidates are Min Aung (Botataung) from National Democratic Front (NDF), independent candidate Win Cho (Dala), Nay Myo Wei (Mingladon) from Peace and Diversity party and Soe Kyi (Thanlyin) from Democratic Party (Myanmar).
They sought permission and place for demonstration to be staged on June 5 which will be calling for releasing prisoners to Rangoon Region government on May 26 by sending a letter. In this letter, they asked Home Ministry to give them guidance in expressing their will and desire regarding the amnesty for prisoners. They didn’t use the term, political prisoners, in this letter.
“We demanded our right in the framework of 2008 constitution as the new government led by President Thein Sein said that they would uphold and follow this constitution and we believed they would do as they say”, NDF candidate Min Aung who lost to his rival candidate from Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in election told Mizzima.
The vague provision in this 2008 constitution says ‘Every citizen shall be at liberty in the exercise of expressing and publishing freely their convictions and opinions and assemble peacefully without arms if not contrary to the laws, enacted for Union security, prevalence of law and order, community peace and tranquility or public order and morality.”
If they don’t get the permission and guidance from the Region government, they would apply again to the Supreme Court of Union, Min Aung said.
“I think they applied this letter in accordance with the law. If the democratic rights really exist in Burma, the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly must be permitted. But in fact, these democratic rights have not yet existed in Burma”, Phyo Min Thein, former chairman of Union Democracy Party (UDP), told Mizzima.
Phyo Min Thein is currently leading the collection of signatures in nationwide signature campaign calling for releasing political prisoners.
According to figures released by Thai based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP-B), there are 2,061 political prisoners still behind bars.
