Burma Insight: 27 Sep 2011

Yangon, September 26 -- About 150 persons made up of former NLD members and activists for democracy, who planned to stage a mass prayer meeting for the release of political prisoners on the platform of Sule Pagoda right in the center of Yangon this afternoon, got to call off their plan as these persons coming on board three buses were prevented by a large number of security police as they reached Kaba Aye Pagoda road about 8 miles away from their destination.

The standoff, which took place between this crowd and security police armed with battle gear on Kaba Aye road, lasted one hour under heavy rains. Eventually the crowd called off and cancelled their mass prayer meeting without resulting any kind of physical clash.

All of these 150 persons were wearing yellow T-shirts and yellow blouses emblazoned with the picture of iron bars with white dove in the middle signifying the call for the release of political prisoners from behind the iron bars.

On some shirts and blouses worn by these men and women demonstrators, such words as “Anniversary of Saffron Revolution 26.9.2011,” were seen. This meant that some demonstrators were also commemorating the Buddhist monks demonstrations, which engulfed the country in September 2007 entailing casualties among the monks and the people, who came out in support of the monks.

These Buddhist monks demonstrations, which were supported by a large segment of the people took place in 2007 in protest against the high prices.

The presence of over 2000 political prisoners in prisons throughout Myanmar have all along been un-reconcilable problem between the democratic forces led by NLD and the previous government of State Peace and Development Council ( SPDC ) and the current Thein Sein government.

While the democratic opposition has steadfastly maintained and called for the release of over 2000 political prisoners, the SPDC government as well as the current Thein Sein government has contended that in Myanmar there are no political prisoners.

The government side has up to now mentioned that there are only prisoners, who committed crimes and that there are no prisoner of conscience.