A dissident group in Myanmar is planning to establish a permanent network across the country to look into the welfare of political prisoners amid new concerns of activists being arrested as President Thein Sein continues to grant amnesty to prisoners of conscience.
The Former Political Prisoners Group said the proposed network would help campaign for the release of the remaining 100-odd political prisoners and to support their family members while they continue to languish in jail.
"We will support the formation of groups in each region and then we are going to connect all of them through this network," the group's representative, Ye Aung, told RFA's Myanmar Service. "We are going to work on supporting [the welfare of political prisoners and those who have been released]."
The Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), known as the AAPP (B), was the primary group in exile specifically campaigning for the release of political prisoners during the previous military junta rule, when thousands were locked up in more than 40 prisons in the country.
Since President Thein Sein took over in March 2011 after landmark elections and began releasing political prisoners in batches, the Former Political Prisoners Group as well as another group, the League of Political Ex-Prisoners, were formed within the country to safeguard the interest of the inmates and those who have been released as well as their families.
AAPP (B) said it would continue to strive to provide support to each of the political prisoners who have been released.
"Wherever possible, individuals will receive assistance to cover the cost of medical checkups upon leaving prison, as well as for any subsequent medical care they may require. AAPP (B) will continue to provide extensive support and assistance to newly released political prisoners wherever we are able to," it said in a recent statement.
Thein Sein has given an assurance that all political prisoners will be freed by the end of the year as part of his democratic reforms but the AAPP (B) and other rights groups are concerned about ongoing arrests of activists who face indictment and imprisonment for their political actions.
AAPP (B) said it was aware of "over a hundred political and human rights activists who are currently awaiting trial, having been arrested for expressing their views in peaceful demonstrations."
"[R]egardless of the number of political prisoners being released, there is still an unacceptably high number of people being arrested and charged for their political beliefs and activities."
"It is regrettable that those awaiting trial for these actions are not being discussed and represented. They require as much assistance as those currently incarcerated in attempting to refute the allegations made against them," the AAPP (B) said.
Among those in custody are 74-year-old human rights defender Kyaw Hla Aung, arbitrarily detained since July 15 and believed to be in poor health.
UN expert's concerns
The U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, who is currently visiting Myanmar, has also expressed concern about the ongoing detention of those who advocate on behalf of communities, such as those facing land confiscation due to mining projects.
"I believe there are still arrests and trials taking place that are politically motivated, including individuals involved in protests against land confiscation as well as people working to defend human rights in Rakhine state,” he said in a recent statement.
Myanmar's western Rakhine state experienced one of the worst communal riots in the country's history between ethnic Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas.
Quintana called for action to reform laws such as the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Act and the Unlawful Associations Act, as well as the development of an independent judiciary in Myanmar.
“I also hope that the new prisoner review committee becomes more transparent in the important work it is doing, including with regard to the criteria used to determine prisoners of conscience,” he said, adding that the panel should also be able to investigate new cases that may be politically motivated and recommend necessary institutional and legislative reforms.
Reported by Yadanar Oo for RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.