Burma to Amnesty Some Prisoners for 2010 Elections
By VOA News
13 July 2009
Burma's ambassador to the United Nations says the military government is planning to grant amnesty to prisoners so they can take part in next year's general elections.
Ambassador Than Swe told the U.N. Security Council Monday that Burma is working to grant the amnesty on humanitarian grounds, at the request of U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon.
Mr. Ban told reporters Monday the amnesty is "encouraging." But he said he would have to see how Burma implements other issues he raised during a visit to the country earlier this month.
Mr. Ban said he proposed releasing all political prisoners, resuming a dialogue with the opposition, and creating conditions for inclusive and legitimate elections.
He said if Burma does not address these issues, it could undermine any confidence in the country's political process.
Burma's leaders refused to allow the U.N. chief to visit detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during his recent visit.
A British envoy to the U.N., Phil Parham, said that was a measure of Burma's "obstinacy," and of their "lack of commitment to genuine progress."
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won the country's last elections, in 1990. But the military put her under house arrest instead of recognizing the results of the poll.
The Nobel laureate is now on trial for allegedly violating the terms of her house arrest. The charges were imposed after Aung San Suu Kyi allowed an American man to stay at her home for two days, after he swam across a lake to visit her uninvited.
U.S. representative to the U.N., Rosemary DiCarlo called the charges "illegitimate." She called Monday for Aung San Suu Kyi's release, and said there can be no free and fair elections while the opposition leader is imprisoned.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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