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| In this photo taken on Feb 12, the members of Burma's parliament attend the 64th Union Day commemoration in Naypyidaw. (Photo: AP) |
There is not yet any sign that Burma's new Parliament will act on proposals submitted by minority political parties for the release of the country's more than 2,100 political prisoners and the grant of amnesty to those living in exile, according to Khin Maung Swe, a leader of the National Democratic Force (NDF) who was formerly a member of the Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
“We submitted a proposal within the framework of the 2008 Constitution and we can’t say whether the new Parliament will reject our proposal or not,” Khin Maung Swe told The Irrawaddy on Monday.
The NDF proposal was submitted when Parliament first began meeting in early February, he said.
Another proposal was submitted in early February to the speaker of the Upper House (Amyotha Hluttaw) by independent MP Thein Nyunt. The proposal has two parts: part one would grant general amnesty to the Burmese in exile who left the country for any reason; part two would release all political prisoners and detainees.
There is a rumor spreading among the MPs in Naypyidaw that the parliament will reject the proposal, but U Thu Wai, the chairman of Democratic Party (Myanmar), said that it is traditional for a new government to release political prisoners.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Monday, U Thu Wai said, “If the new government will provide an amnesty as we called for, they will get more honor among the international community.”
After the military coup in 1962, Gen Ne Win's government provided amnesty for the opposition parties and the people living in exile. In addition, an amnesty law was approved in 1980 that included political prisoners, U Thu Wai said.
“We called for an amnesty for people who are also citizens of other countries,” U Thu Wai said. “I had been in exile and was included in the amnesty of Ne Win's government.”
About four million Burmese people are currently living in exile, according to U Thu Wai.
Irrawaddy reporter KHIN OO THAR contributed to this story.
Source:http://irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=20844
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