Burma Releases Political Prisoners

by Ma Nguyen Tong

30-5-2002

Burma's ruling military junta freed nine jailed members of the National League of Democracy - the first political prisoners to be released since their leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, emerged from house arrest in early May 2002.

"They are all in good health and reunited with their respective families," said a statement from the office of the military spokesman.

About 290 political prisoners, mostly from the NLD, had been released since the ruling junta started reconciliation talks with Aung San Suu Kyi in October 2000, but human rights groups said about 1,500 more remained in jails. The NLD leader said, on her release from 20 months of incarceration, that freeing not only her supporters, but all political prisoners, was one of her priorities.

Japanese visit

The nine NLD members' release came as the Nobel laureate met a top Japanese Foreign Ministry official, Taeko Takahashi - the most senior official to visit Aung San Suu Kyi since her release. The pro-democracy leader said that she planned to visit Japan, Burma's biggest aid donor, some time in 2002.

Mr Takahashi was also met Burmese economic minister Brigadier General David Abel later on May 14. Burma's military government said the week before that it would resume national reconciliation talks with Aung San Suu Kyi soon, aimed at breaking the country's political impasse.

The NLD won a landslide victory in 1990 elections but the military refused to hand over power. But the junta came under increasing pressure in the several months leading up to Suu Kyi's release, as the international community threatened tougher trade sanctions unless Burma reformed.