Myanmar vows to free activists
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YANGON - The military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs says it will work to drop charges against political activists within 100 days.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said there were 64 political prisoners behind bars and 174 activists facing charges at the end of April.
The ministry announced that it would free 440 prisoners, including two children, after cancelling 256 cases within 100 days.
It also announced a four-part plan on crime prevention and on how to establish the rule of law across the country also within 100 days.
The ministry says it will work with non-governmental organisations in the fight against crimes.
It added that the Special Intelligence Department would speed up efforts to reduce state fund fraud and business crime, the Correctional Department would relax strict rules on relatives visiting prisoners and the General Administrative Department would increase public services.
Activist freed in Mandalay
In a related development, activist Myo Win has been cleared of charges on May 26 by a Mandalay court. He was charged with helping other farmers to recover land seized by a government unit.
“The municipal authorities filed a case against me under the former government. And a war veterans' organisation also charged me under Section 6(1). I have been jailed for six months and faced more than 20 court hearings. The new mayor dropped the charges against me. I’m very thankful to the people’s government. I will cooperate with the government as much as I can. Although I was released, there are other political activists still jailed. I want them released,” Myo Win said.
The activist and three other farmers were charged over a “ploughing protest” on farmland seized for the Yaytagontaung golf course in Patheingyi on September 25 last year. The veterans also charged him and 18 other farmers for another “ploughing protest” last October.
“It’s a fair decision made by the township judge,” said his lawyer Ywet Nu Aung.
“The regional government is working together with MPs in dealing with seized farmland. I believe it will be OK as we now have a people’s government,” said a farmer whose land was seized.
