Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Burmese military junta allowed UN rights envoy Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana yesterday to meet five political prisoners in Insein prison.
The meeting lasted about two and-a-half hours starting from 4:30 p.m. He could meet students, lawyers, nuns and MPs, the Rangoon based UN office said.
He met student union leader Kyaw Ko Ko, young lawyer Nyi Nyi Htwe, NLD MPs-elect Dr. Tin Min Htut and Nyi Pu, nun Ponnimi a.k.a. Mya Nyunt on Monday.
Mr. Quintana started his six-day official visit since Saturday to assess the human right situation in Burma.
He advised the Burmese government to release about 2,000 political prisoners who are languishing in jails and to amend the laws which infringe the fundamental rights of the people.
Moreover he urged the junta to educate and train its army to abide and respect human rights, reform the army and transform its current judicial system into an independent judiciary.
This is the second visit of the UN rights envoy. He first visited Burma in August 2008.
He visited Pa-an prison in Karen State on 15 February and also met 'Democratic Karen Buddhist Army' (DKBA) officials. The DKBA reached a ceasefire agreement with the junta in 1994.
Though he is reportedly planned to visit Myitkyina prison in the capital of Kachin State today, he was in Rangoon till 12:30 p.m. today.
Mr. Quintana sent his request containing a list of persons he wants to meet to the authorities in advance. But the chief of UN Information Department said that it is not yet known whether he could meet these persons.
Before his visits to these prisons starting from February 15 this month, the prison authorities were busy cleaning the prison cells, providing clean and new prison uniforms and providing better food to the prisoners.
