UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations and United States Monday urged the Myanmar junta to free all political prisoners, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, after it announced an amnesty for 17 others.
"I wish to reiterate my call for the release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the resumption of dialogue between the government and the opposition without delay and without preconditions," UN chief Ban Ki-moon told reporters.
"I welcome the announcement of the amnesty as a first step toward a larger and bigger implementation," he said, but cautioned "there are still hundreds and hundreds of detainees" held for "political reasons."
The Myanmar government Friday announced it was releasing more than 6,300 prisoners to allow them to participate in elections next year. But according to an opposition spokesman, only 17 of those released were political prisoners.
Ban however mentioned 23 people had been released.
The UN chief also said he would like to visit the Asian nation again after his last trip in May, but said he had made no decision.
"There may be some issues that first of all I have to discuss with the Myanmar government, about the timing and about the agenda ... but nothing has yet been discussed," he said.
His special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has just traveled to Myanmar but there were no concrete results from the trip aimed at kickstarting talks between the junta and the opposition. Ban said Gambari's visit was "an ongoing effort."
The United States also welcomed news that some prisoners had been freed.
"We obviously welcome the release of any political prisoners but we call on the Burmese to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, -- but we'll have to see if indeed, this leads to more releases," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.
"Obviously, the release of any political prisoners is something that we would welcome but a lot more needs to be done," he said.
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Democracy plan fuels war in Myanmar
The elections represent the fifth step on the military regime's seven-step "roadmap to democracy". The generals have said that before the elections can take place the various ethnic insurgent ceasefire groups along the country's border areas must disarm and become legal political parties. Only once a "discipline flourishing democracy" has been established, says the government, will the concerns of the various ethnic groups be addressed.
With a year to go before the polls, ethnic insurgent organizations are being forced to decide whether to carry on the struggle or become state-controlled militias.
Although Gambari was able to meet with certain ethnic Shan politicians on his visit in early February, and UN Human Rights Envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana met last week with members of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), it is unlikely that these staged meetings would have given either envoy a real sense of the dilemma facing many of the ethnic organizations.
The largest ceasefire groups are based in northern Myanmar, along the border with China. They include the United Wa State Army (UWSA) with an estimated 15,000-20,000 fighters, the National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS) with around 2,500 and the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) with up to 10,000 men, and the Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/A) with between 3,000 and 5,000 soldiers in Kachin State. The UWSA, NDAA and SSA-N all agreed to ceasefires in 1989, while the KIO signed on in 1994.
Several ceasefire group leaders have remained coy about their preparations for possible hostilities. On the ground, observers describe military preparations including trainings and increased recruitment, as well as growing apprehension among the civilian populace. The junta, too, appears to be preparing for armed showdowns. It has for years increased troop numbers in areas near ceasefire groups and recent reports suggest that these troops are being reinforced with heavy weapons, including 76mm and 105mm artillery and with specialized troops, including Light Infantry Divisions 66 and 88.
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