» 01/03/2012 11:41 MYANMAR Burmese government’s act of clemency fails to convince Human rights activists, opposition politicians and relatives of prisoners of conscience have been very disappointed by the decision of the President to reduce sentences, but not grant pardons. A real amnesty had been expected.
Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) – Myanmar’s President Thein Sein has signed a clemency order for prisoners to mark the 64th anniversary of the country’s independence, but a far more limited one than expected. Human rights activists, opposition parties and family members of prisoners have expressed disappointment and frustration, at dashed hopes by the government measure. Among other things, is not yet clear how many people will be affected by the act of clemency. Nyan Win, spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, said he does not know whether party members in prison will be released. "We were hoping for a real amnesty," he said.
Under the measure, death sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment, while those over 30 years, reduced to 30 years, those between 20 and 30 years to 20 and other sentences reduced of less than a quarter of the original sentence. But high political profile dissidents, such as those involved in the student revolt of 1998, suppressed by force, are serving sentences of decades behind bars, and there seems little hope for their immediate release. Aung Khaing Min, of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has expressed disappointment: "It is not amnesty, it is very frustrating." He called the announcement "chaotic", since it makes no difference between political prisoners and common criminals, and does not seem consistent with recent statements of some officials, which had seemed to indicate the release of more prisoners for crimes of conscience.
The new government of Myanmar, civil in name, which has replaced the military junta in power for many years, showed signs of willingness to reform towards the opposition and the West. In October 2011 approximately 200 political prisoners were released; activists believe that a number between 500 and 1500 are still imprisoned for crimes of conscience. Among them the most famous dissidents: Gambira, a monk sentenced to 63 years for his role in the 2007 protests, known as the "Saffron Revolution" led by the monks because they dressed in yellow, and the former student Min Ko Naing, who is serving a sentence of 65 years in prison.
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