World Community strongly condemns the ‘inhuman prison terms’ for non-violent protestors in Burma

Burma Review from India joins the world community’s strong condemnation of inhuman long prison terms for non-violent peaceful democracy protestors in Burma of August-September 2007 Saffron revolution including the fellow blogger - Nay Phone Latt, Ms. Suu Suu Nwe and others. In a press release issued yesterday by the UN Secretary General – Ban Ki moon voiced deep concern at the ‘severe’ prison terms for Burmese democracy demonstrators and once again called for the “immediate release of all political prisoners in Burma” and said that, “all citizens of Myanmar to be allowed to freely participate in their country’s political future as part of an inclusive national reconciliation process.”

In addition, the United States Foreign Policy Division in a daily press briefing’s held on 12^th November 2008, the Deputy Spokesperson – Mr. Robert Wood explained to media about the – “United States strong condemnation of the Burmese regime’s harsh sentencing of at least thirty political activists to between two and sixty-five years in prison,” and stated that, “These brave democracy activists are peaceful citizens whose only crime was to challenge the regime’s illegitimate rule.” The US State department once again reiterated, “The call on the regime to begin a genuine dialogue with democratic and ethnic minority representatives and to immediately release all of Burma’s over 2,000 political prisoners, including Aung San Sui Kyi and those convicted in recent days.”

The United States further condemned the manner in which the trials were conducted and said that, “the regime held closed court sessions and did not allow family members or lawyers to attend. We reiterate our call for the regime to cease harassing and arresting civilians for peacefully exercising their internationally recognized human rights.” When asked about the procedures of resolving the crisis, the United States Deputy Spokesman – Mr. Wood explained that, “we will continue to work with our allies to try to see if there are ways we can, you know, come up with additional pressure to put on the Burmese. You know, we are very concerned about the situation in Burma, as we have said many times. And we’re going to continue to look for ways to increase that pressure on the Burmese. And we call on them, again, to release all political prisoners from detention. So we’ll continue working this issue.”

Apart from UN Secretary General and the United States, the United Kingdom, Canadian Foreign office etc. have also strongly condemned Burma's ruling military government for harshly punishing more than 20 pro-democracy activists with long prison terms of up to 65 years, and called for their immediate release. Earlier on Monday, the European Union, in a statement, said the junta's planned election in 2010 would be illegitimate unless it first releases all political prisoners, including Burmese pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

It is noteworthy that, apart from a young fellow blogger of twenty-eight years of age– Nay Myo Kyaw, who used to wrote blogs under the name Nay Phone Latt and Ms. Suu Suu New; the Burmese ruling military regime sentenced long prison terms to other non-violent democracy protestors like – Mr. Jimmy (aka) Kyaw Minn Yu, Min Zeya, Ant Bwe Kyaw, Zeya (aka) Kalama, Thet Zaw, Aye Than (aka) Thant Tin, Zaw Zaw Min, Pandeik Tun, Nilar Thein, Mar Mar Oo, Sandar Min, Mie Mie (aka) Thin Thin Aye, Thet Thet Aung and Kyaw Kyaw Htwe.

***************************