Myanmar makes major steps in national reconcilation process
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Xinhua, January 13, 2012
Myanmar new government has made a major bold step in national reconciliation process, initiating an unprecedented peace pact with the country's largest anti- government ethnic armed group of the Kayin National Union (KNU) on Thursday and releasing 651 more prisoners, assessed to include all prisoners of conscience, on Friday under President U Thein Sein's Thursday amnesty order.
The success in reaching peace agreement between the government and the KNU signalled an end to over six decades' ethnic armed conflicts in the country.
The signing of the peace pact in southeastern Kayin state's capital of Hpa-an on Thursday between a 19-member peace-making group of KNU, led by Army Chief of Staff General Mutue Sae Poe, and the government's peace-making group, headed by Minister of Rail Transportation U Aung Min, also signified a major achievement made by the new government in succeeding previous governments' peace efforts in settlement of the rebellious armed group issues since independence in 1948.
The peace agreement at state level includes ceasefire to be carried out by the two sides, opening of liaison offices in 14 areas, allowing travel without holding arms to each other's territory, and continued talks at central level on KNU's 11-point demands.
The government side was taking the KNU peace makers to meet Mon state's Chief Minister in Mawlamyine and Bago region's Chief Minister in Bago Friday and then to the central administrative capital of Nay Pyi Taw as a follow-up.
The two sides had preliminary confidence talks in Thailand's Maesot in December last year.
Estimated to hold a military strength of as many as 7,000, the KNU represents the biggest anti-government ethnic armed group in Myanmar's Kayin state having fought the government foe self- administration for over six decades.
Kayin state has a population of about 7 million, accounting for about 13 percent of the country's total population.
In its next move of national reconciliation along with political reform, the government on Thursday granted amnesty to 651 more prisoners who were being released from jails across the country starting Friday under Section 401/1 of Code of Criminal Procedure which is clarified as a legal right of action exercised by the president dealing with the release of particular prisoners.
The amnesty was aimed mainly at gaining stability and eternal peace, fostering national reconciliation, enabling them to take part in political process and on humanitarian grounds by realizing the magnanimity of the state, according to the order.
Friday's release included Shan ethnic leader U Kun Tun Oo, noted student leaders Min Ko Naing, U Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Kyaw Min Yu/ Jimmy, Phyo Min Thein and Ko Htay Kywe as well as Shin Gambira, leader of the All-Burmese Monks Alliance.
Moreover, former Myanmar prime minister U Khin Nyunt, 73, who was sentenced to a 44-year suspended sentence in July 2005 and served the sentence by remaining under house arrest at his home instead of in prison, was also among those freed.
Along with the release of Khin Nyunt, who was also former military intelligence chief, were also 200 of his followers and ex- officials as well as two of his sons.
Khin Nyunt was removed from post in October 2004 on charge of involvement in major bribery and corruption cases, violation of the army discipline by his insubordination and commitment of certain acts which were said illegal.
The amnesty, the fourth granted to the prisoners in the country since the new government assumed office on March 30 last year, is also a follow-up of the 6,656 prisoners who were freed and 38,964 got clemency last week under Jan. 2 amnesty order of the president.
Under the first two amnesty orders during last year, the government had respectively freed 14,758 and 6,359 prisoners in May and October totalling 21,117 in the year.
The amnesty appeals were made to the president repeatedly by Myanmar's National Human Rights Commission as well as domestic and international community in the course of Myanmar's democratization and national reconciliation process.
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