Burma's military government is to free some political prisoners under an amnesty and allow them to participate in next year's elections, the country's ambassador to the UN has said.Speaking at the UN Security Council in New York on Monday, Than Swe did not say how many political prisoners would be released or when, or whether opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be among those freed.
But he did say that Myanmar's ruling military would also agree to UN demands that they hold talks with the opposition and allow credible elections next year.
Burma's opposition party Tuesday said it was skeptical the military junta would release political prisoners including its leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
"We would welcome it if they released political prisoners in an amnesty but very few political prisoners have been included in previous amnesties," said National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Nyan Win.
Nyan Win is also acting as a defence lawyer in the controversial trial of Aung San Suu Kyi on charges that she breached the terms of her house arrest when an American man swam to her lakeside home in May.
Published by Mike Hitchen,
Putting principles before profits
Burma Human Rights Aung San Suu Kyi Myanmar
Putting principles before profits
Burma Human Rights Aung San Suu Kyi Myanmar
