Myanmar’s military government will release 7,012 prisoners under an amnesty to mark the country’s independence day, state broadcaster MRTV has reported.
Key points:
- Local media said the amnesty won’t include those convicted of murder and rape, or jailed for unlawful association
- Min Aung Hlaing thanked China, India, Thailand, Laos and Bangladesh for supporting his country
- Myanmar has been in chaos since the army took power from Aung Sang Suu Kyi’s government on February 1, 2021
The South-East Asian country has faced international isolation and Western-led sanctions since the military seized power from a democratically elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung Sang Suu Kyi nearly two years ago.
“I want to say thank you to some international and regional countries and organisations and individuals who positively cooperated with us … in the midst of all the pressure, criticisms and attacks,” Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said in a speech to mark Myanmar’s 75th independence day.
“We are closely working with neighbouring countries such as China, India, Thailand, Laos and Bangladesh.
“We will work together for border stability and development,” Min Aung Hlaing said in a speech at a parade in the capital Naypyitaw, complete with flag-waving civil servants, marching soldiers, tanks and a fly-past by military jets.
Myanmar has been in chaos since the army took power from Ms Suu Kyi’s government on February 1, 2021, detaining her and other officials, and responding to pro-democracy protests and dissent with brutal force, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
While street protests are now rare after bloody crackdowns, the military is involved in almost daily clashes with minority ethnic forces, and insecurity has spread to swathes of the country as members of a so-called People’s Defence Force have taken up arms to fight for a return to democracy.
Meanwhile, Ms Suu Kyi was recently convicted of five counts of corruption and jailed for seven more years, wrapping up a marathon of trials condemned internationally as a sham, and designed to keep the junta’s biggest threat at bay amid widespread resistance to its rule.
Ms Suu Kyi is being held in a Naypyitaw prison in solitary confinement, and the military insist she has received due process by an independent court.
She has been sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison after a series of politically tinged prosecutions.
Authorities typically release some prisoners to mark the day when Myanmar declared independence from British rule.
Some prisoners exempt from amnesty
MRTV said the latest amnesty would not include those convicted of murder and rape, or jailed for charges related to explosives, unlawful association, weapons, drugs, natural disaster management and corruption.
It was not immediately clear if any political detainees would be freed.
The United States, the European Union and countries such as Britain and Canada, have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military and individuals deemed to have helped the junta come to power.
In a further rebuke, the UN Security Council last month adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in 74 years, demanding an end to violence and for the junta to free all political detainees.
Referring to international pressure, Min Aung Hlaing hit out at what he said were “disruptions from countries and organisations who want to intervene in Myanmar’s internal affairs”.
Still, the junta has maintained some international support.
The UN Security Council remains split over how to deal with the Myanmar crisis, with China and Russia arguing against strong action.
They also abstained from last month’s vote on a resolution, along with India.
Thailand also hosted regional talks last month to discuss the crisis, including rare international appearances by junta ministers, even as several key members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), vocal in their criticism of the junta, did not attend.
ASEAN is leading diplomatic peace efforts, and Myanmar’s generals have been barred from the bloc’s high-profile gatherings for failing to honour promises to start talks with opponents linked to Ms Suu Kyi’s ousted government.
Reuters
Source link
