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Former political prisoners group slams ‘President Amnesty’
Published on Monday, 19 November 2012 05:53
The former Political Prisoners Group on November 17 strongly criticised the amnesty order issued by President Thein Sein because no political prisoners were included among the 452 prisoners released.
The president said that the amnesty on November 15 was being granted to establish stability and eternal peace, on humanitarian grounds, for turning them into citizens who do their bit in nation building, realising sympathy and goodwill for the State and for boosting friendship with neighbouring countries.
The former prisoners pointed out that the amnesty order does not prove the intentions of the government as no political prisoners were released.
Tun Kyi, a former political prisoner, said that they had sent an open letter on November 17 to the US Embassy in Yangon to inform President Barak Obama that more than 230 political prisoners still remained in prisons across the country.
The government should take effective action against those who import fuel illegally so that it can protect the interests of the companies importing fuel with official licence.
“The companies unofficially importing fuel into the country are many. It is true that Shwe Thanlwin is not the only one,” said a Mawlamyhine local, who is aware of companies importing fuel illegally.