Date: July 9, 2005

(1) The military junta in Burma claimed that they released around 400 prisoners from different prisons on July 6, 2005. However, the AAPP has learned that not all are political prisoners. At the moment, we only have the names of 214 political prisoners. AAPP warmly welcomes those who were released.

(2) The manipulative nature of the release of the political prisoners is one of the military junta's tactics to defuse the imminent international pressure and avoid the political deadlock. Therefore, we believe that the political prisoners are being constantly used as hostages.

(3) In the meantime, both physical and mental tortures still exist in Burmese prisons. The potential for release gives a prisoner the highest hope. However, the regime has exercised a form of psychological torture meant to crush the spirit and hope of political activists. With a number of prisoners, they inform them that they are to be released, bring them to the prison gate, and presumably release them. Yet, a minute later, Military Intelligence personnel come and tell them they are being detained again, this time under section 10(A) of the State Protection Law. This is what happened to student leaders Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi among others. This is what the regime has done a second time to U Win Tin, 75, who has been in prison since 1989. He was reportedly taken to the Home Minister on July 6, 2005 in preparation for his release, but he was brought back to prison. In November 2004, he was also promised his release only to be kept in the prison. AAPP thinks the junta is deliberately trying to break the spirit of U Win Tin, who has already suffered tremendous health problems in his long imprisonment since 1989.

(4) Moreover, AAPP wants to caution that the recent release of political prisoners should not overshadow the ongoing arrests and harassment several activists and ordinary citizens of the regime. For example, in the past seven days, a total of fifteen people have been arrested. Five ordinary citizens, with no political affiliations, were arrested for just listening to the BBC. Three political activists were also arrested. Further, seven members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) were arrested and held without fair trial as part of the SPDC's plan to crack down on the NLD. The torture those detained will face is likely to be severe, as in May of this year an NLD member, Aung Hlaing Win, was tortured to death by the regime. They will also face inhumane prison conditions and insufficient medical care. Further, Daw Aung San Kyi, U Tin Oo, U Khun Htun Oo and other ethnic leaders are still being held without any indication of when they will be released.

(5) These above mentioned cases only prove the regime's inconsistency in their policy attitude and insincerity in working for a genuine national reconciliation, and in restoring democracy and human rights.

(6) Thus, though the AAPP is pleased to learn the release of political prisoners, we rule out that the junta's recent release of political prisoners is politically significant step towards reconciliation. However, if the junta releases all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo and U Khun Htun Oo, and halts their planned crackdown on the NLD while searching for peaceful solutions to the country's problems, we can then say that the regime is serious about political reform.

(7) Therefore, the AAPP urges the junta to release unconditionally all remaining political prisoners and to end its harassment and imprisonment of political activists. We also urge the people in Burma to speak out for the release of all remaining political prisoners and the end of additional arrests.

(8) Finally, the AAPP would like to request that the international community, including United Nations, US, EU and ASEAN, do more to pressure the regime into ceasing its continued arrest of political activists, particularly members of the NLD, and releasing all remaining political prisoners.