Rohingya political prisoner released. Dozens of activists still in jail
Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Burmese government has ordered the release of a doctor and high profile Rohingya leader, arrested in 2012 while trying to contain sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists in the western state of Rakhine. Activists and pro-human rights organizations welcomed the news, but point out that - in spite of the promises of the reformist president Thein Sein - there are still dozens of political prisoners in Myanmar's jails.
Since the fall of the military regime, in 2011, the Burmese government has ordered the release of more than a thousand prisoners of conscience or political detainees; a move that has served to ease international pressure and the removal of some sanctions. Even today, however, the country's prisons are crowded by dozens of journalists, activists, peaceful protesters and peasants who rebelled against the forced expropriation of land.
The story of
Aung Tun, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison following a "farcical"
trial gained considerable attention internationally. In June 2012 he was
accused of fomenting violence between Muslim Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine and
imprisoned for this. However, according to local witnesses and activists in the
area, the same Burmese authorities had asked the doctor and leader to intervene
to stop the clashes.
In these two and a half years of captivity there have been repeated appeals and
initiatives to secure his release; the international mobilization on his behalf
has been decisive for amnesties, curtailment of the sentence and, most
recently, the presidential pardon. Greeting his release, activists and
pro-human rights organizations point out that the government of Naypyidaw
"released some political prisoners, and then arrested a couple more".
Myanmar is
composed of more than 135 ethnic groups, who have always struggled to live in a
peaceful manner, in particular with the central government and its majority
Burmese component. Since June of 2012 the western state of Rakhine has been
plunged into violent clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Burmese, which has
left at least 200 dead and 250 thousand displaced.
According to United Nations estimates ,Myanmar - a predominantly Buddhist
nation, with 50 million inhabitants - is also home to 1.3 million belonging to
the Muslim minority, which the government considers illegal immigrants and that
is why they are subject to abuse
and persecution.
There are still 140 thousand displaced persons confined in refugee centers who,
according to the Burmese government, must accept the classification
of being Bengali - and obtain citizenship - or stay in the camps "for
life". Inside they are deprived of basic rights, including health care,
education and the possibility of work. The Catholic
Church in Burma has intervened on several occasions against
marginalization and neglect faced by the Muslim minority.
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