With none of their leaders among the 9,002 prisoners released by the Burmese military junta on Tuesday, Shans both inside and outside Burma are deeply distressed and depressed.
"We are delighted U Win Tin (one of the co-founders of the National League for Democracy leader who had been imprisoned since 1989) and others are finally out," said Sai Lake, spokesperson for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD). "But we also find it extremely disappointing that none of our leaders are among them."
He was referring to the surviving eight Shan activists who were arrested and sentenced to long-term in jail in 2005, from 13 to 106 years.
Shans in exile also issued a statement denouncing the regime's mass prisoner release as "a publicity stunt." Amnesty International meanwhile says that 2,100 political prisoners are still behind bars.
"The junta has missed another opportunity to bring about national reconciliation," said a former SNLD member, making a living in Thailand for a number of years.
The Special Bureau officials had during the past few months visited Khun Tun Oo, leader of the SNLD and elected Member of Parliament in 1990, and Sai Nyunt Lwin, the party's general secretary at least four times, according to a senior SNLD member. "Both were asked whether they were ready to quit politics," he said. "But both had declined the offer."
Khun Tun Oo aka Hkun Htoon Oo, who is serving 93 years in Putao, Burma's northernmost town, is said to be highly respected by the inmates, among whom are former followers of the deposed Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt. Sai Nood aka Sai Nyunt Lwin, sentenced to 85 years, meanwhile, is said to be sharing a prison cell in Kalemyo with two former brigadier generals: Than Tun and Tin Hla.
Others are:
Maj-Gen Hso Ten, 106 years, in Khamti
Sai Hla Aung, 79 years, in Kyaukphyu
Tun Nyo, 79 years, in Buthidaung
Nyi Nyi Moe, 79 years, in Pakokku
Myo Win Tun, 79 years, in Myingyan
and Sao Oo Kya, 13 years, in Mandalay.
One of their colleagues "Math" Myint Than died on May 2, 2006 in Sandoway while serving 79 years.
"The only one who got off scot-free was Sao Tha Oo," according to a senior SNLD member. "He agreed to become a witness for the prosecution and gave false statements as dictated by the junta authorities. Being a Judas, he's no more seen around Shan circles nowadays."
