New Delhi - The United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay on Thursday urged Burma's military junta to free all political prisoners. The junta released seven political prisoners recently.
While welcoming the release of seven political prisoners as part of the amnesty for 9002 prisoners across the country, Ms. Pillay said the government should release the rest of the more than 2,000 political prisoners who are still languishing in prisons across the country.
"I urge the government to release them all as soon as possible," Pillay told a news conference in Geneva, held ahead of launching 'the Dignity and Justice for Detainees Initiative', set to begin on October 6.
According to the Thailand-based Association Assistance for Political Prisoner-Burma (AAPP-B), 10 political prisoners including veteran journalist Win Tin, Khin Maung Swe, Dr. Than Nyein, Dr. May Win Myint, Thein Naing, Aye Thein, Thiha, Maung Kyaw, Aung Khin and Myint Lwin were among the 9002 prisoners granted amnesty on September 23.
But Pilly said, "It was a very small step considering there are an estimated more than 2,000 political activists currently in detention in that country."
She also said, the continued detention of Burma's pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as completely illegal, saying "Noting that she [Aung San Suu Kyi] has in fact served a sentence that far exceeds that served by many hardened criminals."
Meanwhile, Burma's opposition party – the National League for Democracy - and other political groups in exile did not view the recent release of a few political prisoners as a progressive step while welcoming the release of veteran journalist Win Tin, who has served more than 19 years in prison.
Nyan Win of the NLD said, "We did not see anything significant, given that the political prisoners released have, in fact, exceeded their prison-terms."
"We can only assume that there is a change only if all political prisoners including the leader of the NLD are released," he added.
Similarly, the Burmese government in exile – the National Coalition Government of Union of Burma - said, while they welcome the release of a few political prisoners, it, however, it is not a significant development.
"This is how they [junta] function to reduce international tension or pressure," said Dr. Tint Swe, Information and Public Relations Committee Chairman of the NCGUB and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office (west).
He said, the junta's intentions are clear, they wanted to showcase that they are taking steps in improving the human rights situation so as to allow its ally countries to have a bargaining point at the UN and internationally.
"Surely, the junta will receive some support and praise from several countries because of the recent release of prisoners," he added.
But he said the junta's actions are skin-deep and much more needs to be done for genuine political reforms in the country. He said starting with the release of other political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and kick starting a meaningful tripartite dialogue would only bring genuine changes.
"Merely releasing prisoners is not the way forward to national reconciliation," Dr. Tint Swe said.
"Over 20 years they [junta] has been lying to the whole world that there are no political prisoners in Burma but at the same time it is arresting and sentencing political activists on fabricated charges of criminal acts," he added.
In the AAPP-B's latest report, there are at least 2,123 prisoners still languishing in jails across the country.
"It is difficult to say that the junta had even released political prisoners because they number a few. But most of them should have been freed as they have completed their prison-terms," said Tate Naing, secretary of the AAPP-B.
"Every day the junta continues to arrest more political activists and are charging them with criminal counts in courts and sentencing them," he added.
Tate Naing said, the junta's intention is to ease-off pressure and it is playing a game with the international community, just as they have done several times in the past.
