Myanmar to free all political prisoners by end of year

Updated

July 16, 2013 11:31:05

Photo:
Myanmar President Thein Sein has announced all political prisoners in Myanmar will be freed by end of the year. (AFP: Hoan Dinh Nam)

Myanmar's President Thein Sein says all political prisoners in the country will be freed by the end of year, and conflicts between the government and ethnic groups could end within weeks.

Thein Sein made the announcement during his visit to London on Monday, when he met with British Prime Minister David Cameron.

"I guarantee to you that by the end of this year, there will be no prisoners of conscience in Myanmar," he said.

"We are aiming for nothing less than a transition from half a century of military rule and authoritarianism to democracy."

Thein Sein has freed hundreds of political prisoners since 2011, when the former junta general took the presidency, and has welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi and her political party into parliament.

He says he is optimistic there will soon be an end to decades of conflict between the government and more than a dozen ethnic groups since the country won independence from Britain in 1948.

"Very possibly over the coming weeks, we will have a nationwide ceasefire and the guns will go silent everywhere in Myanmar for the very first time in over 60 years," he said.

He says he will take a "zero tolerance" approach towards people who fuel ethnic hatred within the country.

Last year, about 200 people died as a result of Buddhist-Muslim clashes in the western state of Rakhine.

Most of the victims of the clashes were Rohingya Muslims who are denied citizenship by Myanmar.

AFP

Topics:
law-crime-and-justice,
prisons-and-punishment,
unrest-conflict-and-war,
community-and-society,
burma,
asia

First posted

July 16, 2013 08:39:43

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmar-to-free-all-political-prisoners-by-end-of-year/