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| Burma announces amnesty for political prisoners | Burma announces amnesty for political prisoners |
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| Relatives, friends and associates of hundreds of political activists and human rights campaigners held in Burmese prisons are waiting for details of a new official amnesty which, according to state television, could see more than 500 detainees set free. | Relatives, friends and associates of hundreds of political activists and human rights campaigners held in Burmese prisons are waiting for details of a new official amnesty which, according to state television, could see more than 500 detainees set free. |
| Though Monday's announcement by the information ministry did not identify the prisoners, officials from Burma's main opposition party said the move could mean all remaining political prisoners would be freed. | Though Monday's announcement by the information ministry did not identify the prisoners, officials from Burma's main opposition party said the move could mean all remaining political prisoners would be freed. |
| The release is the latest in a series of measures by the government of President Thein Sein, who has pledged to open up the once-isolated south-east Asian state. | The release is the latest in a series of measures by the government of President Thein Sein, who has pledged to open up the once-isolated south-east Asian state. |
| It comes a day after Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel laureate and leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), arrived in the US for a major tour, during which she is expected to meet President Obama. | It comes a day after Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel laureate and leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), arrived in the US for a major tour, during which she is expected to meet President Obama. |
| The 67-year-old, who spent more than two decades either under house arrest or too fearful to leave Burma in case the government would never let her return, in May travelled abroad for the first time in 24 years, to Thailand. In June she visited the UK and European countries on a triumphal tour. | The 67-year-old, who spent more than two decades either under house arrest or too fearful to leave Burma in case the government would never let her return, in May travelled abroad for the first time in 24 years, to Thailand. In June she visited the UK and European countries on a triumphal tour. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi was on Tuesday due to meet the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in Washington, where, later this week, she will receive the congressional gold medal, the highest honour granted by the US congress. | Aung San Suu Kyi was on Tuesday due to meet the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in Washington, where, later this week, she will receive the congressional gold medal, the highest honour granted by the US congress. |
| She will also visit exiled Burmese activists in New York, where she lived for two years in the late 1960s while working at the UN. | She will also visit exiled Burmese activists in New York, where she lived for two years in the late 1960s while working at the UN. |
| Sein is due to travel to New York later this month to address the UN general assembly for the first time as president. | Sein is due to travel to New York later this month to address the UN general assembly for the first time as president. |
| Sein's political prisoner amnesties – alongside other reforms such as new media laws and a move to a restricted form of democracy – have helped to convince western nations to suspend many of the sanctions imposed against the previous military-led regime. | Sein's political prisoner amnesties – alongside other reforms such as new media laws and a move to a restricted form of democracy – have helped to convince western nations to suspend many of the sanctions imposed against the previous military-led regime. |
| Many of those released in the most recent amnesty are likely to be petty criminals. However, there are hopes that most, if not all, of the several hundred dissidents still held will also be freed. There are somewhere between 200 and 700, according to estimates. | Many of those released in the most recent amnesty are likely to be petty criminals. However, there are hopes that most, if not all, of the several hundred dissidents still held will also be freed. There are somewhere between 200 and 700, according to estimates. |
| Naing Naing, a central executive committee member of the NLD, said he understood 424 political detainees were being freed in the latest amnesty and that the party was "optimistic that these are the remaining political prisoners". | Naing Naing, a central executive committee member of the NLD, said he understood 424 political detainees were being freed in the latest amnesty and that the party was "optimistic that these are the remaining political prisoners". |
| Thin Thin Aung, of the Women's League in Burma, who lives in Delhi, told the Guardian she had heard from friends that political prisoners were to be released. "We should know more tomorrow," she said. | Thin Thin Aung, of the Women's League in Burma, who lives in Delhi, told the Guardian she had heard from friends that political prisoners were to be released. "We should know more tomorrow," she said. |
| Analysts say the release is aimed at preparing the ground for Sein's trip to the US. A series of top-level western diplomats have visited Burma this year and repeatedly emphasised the need to free detainees, many held after cursory trials and in poor conditions. The Burmese president will be allowed to venture outside UN territory in New York after Washington issued a waiver on visa restrictions. | Analysts say the release is aimed at preparing the ground for Sein's trip to the US. A series of top-level western diplomats have visited Burma this year and repeatedly emphasised the need to free detainees, many held after cursory trials and in poor conditions. The Burmese president will be allowed to venture outside UN territory in New York after Washington issued a waiver on visa restrictions. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Burma wants that ban, as well as similar restrictions by the EU, to be lifted in order to attract foreign firms to the country to set up manufacturing operations and create jobs for a population that is among Asia's poorest. | Burma wants that ban, as well as similar restrictions by the EU, to be lifted in order to attract foreign firms to the country to set up manufacturing operations and create jobs for a population that is among Asia's poorest. |
| Michael Kugelman, analyst at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars in Washington, said that Sein wanted "to demonstrate that Burma is ready to do business with the world". | Michael Kugelman, analyst at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars in Washington, said that Sein wanted "to demonstrate that Burma is ready to do business with the world". |
| Banks, construction firms, hotel chains and telecommunications companies, both global and regional, have already expressed keen interest in the new market being opened up. | Banks, construction firms, hotel chains and telecommunications companies, both global and regional, have already expressed keen interest in the new market being opened up. |
| For US policymakers, improving relations with Burma, which has vast natural resources and occupies a key location – neighbouring emerging powers China and India – is also an important strategic goal. | For US policymakers, improving relations with Burma, which has vast natural resources and occupies a key location – neighbouring emerging powers China and India – is also an important strategic goal. |
| "The US is turning towards the Asia-Pacific region in a way it has not done for a long time, but with all the euphoria in Washington about how fast these changes in Burma are happening it has to be remembered that there are still political prisoners, the army is still extremely violent and sadistic and the treatment of ethnic minorities is terrible," Kugelman said. | "The US is turning towards the Asia-Pacific region in a way it has not done for a long time, but with all the euphoria in Washington about how fast these changes in Burma are happening it has to be remembered that there are still political prisoners, the army is still extremely violent and sadistic and the treatment of ethnic minorities is terrible," Kugelman said. |
| Monday's amnesty came as 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 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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