By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
NEW YORK, United States– Burma’s UN Ambassador Than Swe announced during a Security Council session that his country is preparing to release some of the political prisoners so that they can participate in the 2010 general election. This decision was made at the request of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during his last visit to Burma.
Swe said, “The Myanmar [Burmese] government is processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds…Myanmar [Burma] today is steadfastly proceeding on its chosen path to democracy.”
UN Secretary General Ban visit Burma (Source: AFP)
Ban told reporters after the Security Council meeting that he conveyed the international community’s expectation to the Burmese government in the clearest terms possible. He also added that “the world is now watching closely whether they [Burma’s junta leaders] will choose to act in the best interest of their country” since the Burmese people will bear the cost of any lack of cooperation by their government with the international community.
Other UN members, including the U.S., United Kingdom and France, together called for stronger action by the Security Council against Burma, especially with matters related to Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who is currently on trial for violating her house rest. Ban’s request to see Suu Kyi was denied during his visit, and Suu Kyi is not likely to be among the prisoners to be freed in time for the 2010 election.
The new constitution, which 92% of voters approved in last year’s referendum and will be voting for in the 2010 election, bars Suu Kyi from holding a political office. Thus, some claim that the election is to further strengthen the powers of the junta generals. In response, Swe remarked that “undue pressure from the outside would not be conducive to Myanmar’s [Burma’s] home-grown political process.”
Nevertheless, U.S. envoy Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council members that there could be “no free and fair election while key leaders of Burma’s Democratic opposition, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi…languish in Burma’s prison.”
There was no official word on how many of the estimated 2,100 political prisoners will be release in time for the 2010 general election.
For more information, please see:
BBC – Burma junta ‘to free dissidents’ – 13 July 2009
Bloomberg – Myanmar to Free Political Prisoners, Envoy Tells UN – 13 July 2009
Mizzima – Burma preparing to free political prisoners – 14 July 2009
