Relatives of Unreleased Prisoners Go Home Disappointed

By MIN LWIN

When Burma’s state-run media announced an amnesty for more than 6,000 prisoners on Saturday, the families of many political detainees flocked to the prison gates chasing a faint glimmer of hope. On Monday morning, some were still there—clinging to what they knew was a futile dream of reuniting with their loved ones.

“We came to Insein Prison on Saturday because we thought our son might be among those released,” said Soe Soe Thaw, mother of Kyaw Ko Ko, a student activist who is serving a three-year sentence for his leading role in the outlawed All Burma Federation of Student Unions.

“Unfortunately, Kyaw Ko Ko was transferred from Insein Prison to Taunggyi Prison while we were waiting for his release,” she said. Taunggyi, in Shan State, is about 440 km northeast of Rangoon, where Insein, Burma’s most notorious prison, is located.

Like Soe Soe Thaw, the families of the vast majority of Burma’s estimated 2,100 political prisoners went home disappointed after their weekend vigils. Of the 6,313 prisoners released since the announcement was made (some local media carried the news late on Friday), only 23 have so far been identified as prisoners of conscience.

Dr Zaw Myint Maung, an elected member of parliament from Amarapura Township, Mandalay Division, and Thet Wai, chairman of the Sanchaung Township branch of the National League for Democracy (NLD), were among only three members of the country’s main opposition confirmed to have been released as part of the amnesty.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP), Dr Zaw Myint Maung, who has been in prison since 1990, when he won a seat for the NLD in an election that the country’s ruling junta refused to honor, was released from Myitkyina Prison in Kachin State. Thet Wai was released from Insein Prison.

A third NLD prisoner, Pe Sein, a township organizer for the party in Mohnyin Township, Kachin State, was released from Myitkyina Prison, where he had been serving a two-year sentence that was due to end soon.

Among the other political prisoners known to have been released are Tin Htay and Than Htun, who were freed from Kalay Prison in Sagaing Division late Saturday evening, according to Lwin Lwin Mar, wife of Tin Htay.

Tin Htay and Than Htun were sentenced to two years and four and a half years, respectively, by a court in Nyaungdon Township, Irrawaddy Division. Their offense was possession of a video revealing the extravagant wedding of the daughter of Burma’s top military leader, Snr-Gen Than Shwe.

According to AAPP, a total of 16 political prisoners were released from Insein, Burma’s largest prison, including nine monks, while another seven were freed from more remote prisons in the country’s extensive gulag.