Myanmar in key prisoner release

Myanmar blogger and prominent political activist Nay Phone Latt celebrates with relatives upon his release from detention in Hpa-an, in the country's eastern Karen state yesterday. Myanmar pardoned a number of prominent prisoners yesterday under a major prisoner amnesty.Photo: AFP

Myanmar pardoned prominent dissidents, journalists and a former premier yesterday under a major prisoner amnesty, intensifying a surprising series of reforms by the army-backed regime.
Western powers have demanded the release of political detainees languishing in jail in the country formerly known as Burma before they will consider lifting sanctions on the regime and its cronies.
Yesterday's amnesty included members of the "88 Generation Students" group, which is synonymous with the democratic struggle in Myanmar and was at the forefront of a failed 1988 uprising in which thousands died.
The mass pardon, which looked set to be the most significant yet under the nominally civilian government which took office last year, was hailed by democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party as a "positive sign".
Amnesty International welcomed the release as "a major step forward."
At least two high-profile student activists involved in the 1988 protests were among those granted amnesty, along with a leading Shan ethnic minority leader and a prominent monk involved in the 2007 "Saffron Revolution".
"Years of international calls to release long-detained political prisoners seem to have pushed the government to finally do the right thing," said deputy Asia director for New York-based Human Rights Watch, Elaine Pearson.
"The next step for Burma's government is to allow international monitors to verify the whereabouts and conditions of remaining political prisoners."
The authorities said about 650 inmates would be included in total, but how many were dissidents was not immediately known. Campaigners called for the release of all remaining political prisoners, whose exact number is unclear.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the amnesty showed the regime was committed to change.