The so called amnesty announced by Burma’s Thein Sein government on January 2^nd, 2012 shattered the dreams of the political prisoners, their families and the Burmese democratic societies.  The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton clearly stated that if there is no visible improvement for change, including releasing of all political prisoners, the United States will not lifting the sanction.  Thein Sein government is still following the footsteps of its previous military regime by refusing political prisoners existed in Burma prisons, instead, he said there are only criminals existed in Burma’s notorious prisons.  He says those who are in prisons break the existing laws and there are no political prisoners. The amnesty is in fact to fool the international key players that they are releasing prisoners with good intention.  But the US and European Union also know the tricks that regime has been producing time after time.

The previous military regime gave long prison terms to legendary heroes of 88 Generation student leaders to 65 years prison term.  The current amnesty announcement on January 2^nd only reduced the jail terms by different categories.

It said persons who were sentenced to death will change to life without parole, and over 30 years should reduce to 30 years, those who had over 20 years and 30 years should be reduced to 20 years, 20 years and under should be reduced to ¼ of its term. For example a person who has 20 years term should reduce to 15 years.

The leader of Shan National League for Democracy Party, Khun Htun Oo, whose party won the land slide victory in Shan States in 1990, was sentenced to 90 years.  According to the amnesty order he still has 30 years.  88 generation student leaders got 65 years terms so their prison term should be the same as Khum Htun Oo reduced from 65 to 30.

The main motivation for this amnesty order is indirectly rejecting to release political prisoners.  From the start all the jail terms were systematically orchestrated to extremely given 10 to 50 times higher than the original prison terms.

Min Ko Naing and his group led the peaceful demonstration in 1997 demanding the lower gas and consumer prices and in return, they got 65 years prison term.   Under Thein Sein regime, demonstrations in the public places is allowed in the new constitution but in reality, people who tried to register for demonstration have been rejected. Those who break the law and demonstrate without permission will get 2 years prison term.  Min Ko Naing and his group got 65 years term is 32 times higher than the actual term.  When reduced to 30 years term, still it is 15 times higher. Thein Sein regime outright rejected to release political prisoners will lead Burma into a sleeping volcano.  It can erupt at any time, any moment, without any warning, unfortunately.

Thein Sein shed his true colors.  He is nothing more than a puppet of the military dictatorship.  If we want to see the release of 88 Generation student leaders and ethnic leaders, we need to fight, in order to, not falling back into the cunning tricks like in the olden days, which they use political prisoners as hostages for their own benefits and interests.  On the other hand, we have to push it for nation -wide demonstrations, we have to mobilize the people and signal them it is time to rise up without hesitation as we have no other choice.

Htun Aung Gyaw