Myanmar frees more political prisoners, US lauds move

A family member of a political prisoner awaits his release in front of Pa-an prison in Pa-an yesterday. Myanmar freed at least 200 political prisoners on Friday in an amnesty that could embolden the opposition and put pressure on the West to lift sanctions as one of the world’s most reclusive states opens up after half a century of authoritarian rule. Credit: Reuters/Soe Zeya Tun

YANGON, (Reuters) – Myanmar freed at least 200  political prisoners yesterday in an amnesty that prompted the  United States to upgrade diplomatic relations as one of the  world’s most reclusive states opens up after half a century of  authoritarian rule.

A family member of a political prisoner awaits his release in front of Pa-an prison in Pa-an yesterday. Myanmar freed at least 200 political prisoners on Friday in an amnesty that could embolden the opposition and put pressure on the West to lift sanctions as one of the world’s most reclusive states opens up after half a century of authoritarian rule. Credit: Reuters/Soe Zeya Tun

The move by Myanmar could embolden the opposition and put  pressure on the West to lift sanctions. Among those freed are  long-persecuted democrats and ethnic leaders whose proven  ability to organise and inspire could increase pressure on  President Thein Sein to accelerate nascent reforms.

In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the  United States was ready to begin the process of exchanging full  ambassadors after an absence of two decades, and would consider  additional measures if the new civilian-led government’s reforms  continue.

The United States and Europe have said freeing political  prisoners is crucial to even considering lifting the economic  sanctions that have isolated the former British colony, also  known as Burma, and pushed it closer to China during five  decades of often-brutal military rule that ended last March.

U.S. President Barack Obama called the release a  “substantial step forward” in the Asian country’s democratic  reforms. “Much more remains to be done to meet the aspirations  of the Burmese people, but the United States is committed to  continuing our engagement,” Obama said in a statement.

As big as France and Britain combined, Myanmar lies between  India, China and Southeast Asia with ports on the Indian Ocean  and Andaman Sea, all of which make it an energy security asset  for Beijing’s landlocked western provinces and a U.S. priority  as Obama strengthens engagement with Asia.

Its resources include natural gas, timber and  precious gems. Myanmar is building a multibillion-dollar port  through which oil can reach a 790-km (490-mile) pipeline under  construction with Chinese money and workers.

It was unclear exactly how many political detainees were  among the 651 inmates covered by the amnesty, the second ordered  by authorities in four months. About 230 political detainees  were released in an earlier general amnesty on Oct. 12.  The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma),  a group that tracks prisoners, said at least 200 had been freed  yesterday. These included Min Ko Naing and other members of the  “88 Generation Students Group”, who led a pro-democracy uprising  in 1988 when thousands of protesters were killed. Also freed was Shin Gambira, a Buddhist monk who led 2007  street protests crushed by the army. He was 27 years old when  sentenced to 68 years in prison in 2007. Khin Nyunt, the  once-powerful chief of military intelligence (MI), was also  released from house arrest.  Appointed prime minister in 2003, he ushered in a  then-derided seven-point “roadmap to democracy” but was purged a  year later in circumstances that were never explained. He had  been under house arrest ever since.

Speaking to reporters outside his home in Yangon, Khin Nyunt  expressed hope for the country, citing recent meetings between  the president and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and visits  by dignitaries such as Clinton, who last month became the first  U.S. secretary of state to visit Myanmar in 50 years.