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| Burma's government says it has granted amnesty to 514 prisoners | Burma's government says it has granted amnesty to 514 prisoners |
| (8 days later) | |
| Burma's government says it has granted amnesty to 514 prisoners, including some foreigners, on humanitarian grounds. | Burma's government says it has granted amnesty to 514 prisoners, including some foreigners, on humanitarian grounds. |
| The announcement on Monday by the information ministry did not identify the prisoners, however the main opposition party said the move could mean all remaining political prisoners had now been freed. | The announcement on Monday by the information ministry did not identify the prisoners, however the main opposition party said the move could mean all remaining political prisoners had now been freed. |
| The government of president Thein Sein has made freedom for political prisoners a centrepiece of its reform policies. Earlier amnesties helped convince western nations to ease sanctions they had imposed against the previous military-led regime. | The government of president Thein Sein has made freedom for political prisoners a centrepiece of its reform policies. Earlier amnesties helped convince western nations to ease sanctions they had imposed against the previous military-led regime. |
| "We're optimistic that these are the remaining political prisoners," said Naing Naing, a central executive committee member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party. | "We're optimistic that these are the remaining political prisoners," said Naing Naing, a central executive committee member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party. |
| The timing of the amnesty, issued by Thein Sein, could accelerate the pace of reforms and strengthen the state's growing bonds with the US. | The timing of the amnesty, issued by Thein Sein, could accelerate the pace of reforms and strengthen the state's growing bonds with the US. |
| Naing Naing said he understood 424 political detainees were freed in the amnesty. That figure would exclude inmates who were former military intelligence officials purged under the former junta. | Naing Naing said he understood 424 political detainees were freed in the amnesty. That figure would exclude inmates who were former military intelligence officials purged under the former junta. |
| Thein Sein, whose government released nearly 700 political prisoners between May 2011 and July this year, is due to head to the US on 24 September, where he will address the UN general assembly in New York for the first time as president. | Thein Sein, whose government released nearly 700 political prisoners between May 2011 and July this year, is due to head to the US on 24 September, where he will address the UN general assembly in New York for the first time as president. |
| He is expected to use the event as a platform to showcase his government's reforms, attract much-needed aid and investment and try to convince the international community to lift all remaining sanctions, in particular import bans on Burma-made products. | He is expected to use the event as a platform to showcase his government's reforms, attract much-needed aid and investment and try to convince the international community to lift all remaining sanctions, in particular import bans on Burma-made products. |
| Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace prize laureate and pro-democracy champion, left on Sunday for the US where she will receive a Congressional medal. | Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace prize laureate and pro-democracy champion, left on Sunday for the US where she will receive a Congressional medal. |
| While she is due to meet president Barack Obama, it is not known whether Thein Sein will. | While she is due to meet president Barack Obama, it is not known whether Thein Sein will. |
| Thein Sein will be allowed to venture outside the relatively small confines of UN territory for the first time after Washington issued a waiver on visa restrictions in its latest concession towards Burma. | Thein Sein will be allowed to venture outside the relatively small confines of UN territory for the first time after Washington issued a waiver on visa restrictions in its latest concession towards Burma. |
| Most sanctions on Burma, which was ruled for 49 years by an authoritarian junta, have been suspended since April in recognition of its political, economic and social reforms. | Most sanctions on Burma, which was ruled for 49 years by an authoritarian junta, have been suspended since April in recognition of its political, economic and social reforms. |
| Washington has eased some embargoes in the past few months, including some covering investment, but the Senate finance committee opted in July to extend a ban on Burmese imports to maintain pressure on the government to reform. | Washington has eased some embargoes in the past few months, including some covering investment, but the Senate finance committee opted in July to extend a ban on Burmese imports to maintain pressure on the government to reform. |
| Burma wants that ban to be lifted, as well as similar restrictions by the European Union, in order to attract foreign firms to the country to set up manufacturing operations and create urgently needed jobs for a population that is among Asia's poorest. | Burma wants that ban to be lifted, as well as similar restrictions by the European Union, in order to attract foreign firms to the country to set up manufacturing operations and create urgently needed jobs for a population that is among Asia's poorest. |
| Monday's amnesty came as the New York-based Human Rights Watch reiterated calls for political prisoners to be released, accusing the government of "dragging its feet rather than fulfilling its promises". | Monday's amnesty came as the New York-based Human Rights Watch reiterated calls for political prisoners to be released, accusing the government of "dragging its feet rather than fulfilling its promises". |
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