AI demands the releases of political prisoners

DVB ( July 30, 2003 )

The Amnesty International (AI) has today demanded the SPDC to release all political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to let an independent organisation investigate into the Dipeyin massacre.

The organisation also pointed out that urgent actions are needed to change the SPDC laws to stop unlawful arrests.

When asked about the possibility of the independent inquiry into the massacre, Ms Donna Guest, the AI’s researcher on Asia said that the investigating team needs to be independent because, for example, if the police force investigate other police force who were involved in this incident, if the soldiers investigate other soldiers and the local authorities investigate the USDA, these investigations cannot be impartial or independent. Therefore, the AI is demanding for the investigation of an independent and impartial organisation, she said.

When asked if an independent international organisation like the AI or the UN Human Rights Commission should investigate the case, Ms Guest said that realistically, the AI would say that it should be an international investigation because it would be very difficult for organisations in Burma and the government to reveal the truth. But it is not set down which organisation should do it either and t is time that the incident should be subjected to international investigation, insisted Ms. Guest.

When asked about the necessity of the change of laws currently employed by the military government, Ms. Guest pointed out the law, in particular, in detention procedures on political people, people who were arrested by the military intelligence and taken into prolonged interrogation.

There are no clear instructions and the authorities are doing whatever they want. The situation is - they can detain people as long as they like, said Ms Guest. The detainees are not allowed to hire lawyer at the court. They are not allowed to meet members of their families.

These need to be changed, she added. And, the laws which prohibit freedom of speech and organisation, especially laws concerning publications and computers are being issued at random and arrests are made.

These laws needed to be changed urgently, she insisted.