September 2011 AAPP Monthly Chronology

Summary of current situation

We have been extensively verifying the political prisoner list in the recent weeks. We will provide an updated list soon. In addition, recent reports claim that political prisoners will be released soon and, pending a prisoner release, we will include an updated account of those released and the political prisoners still behind bars.

Trends

In a month that seemed to raise the prospect of significant progress in Burma, there remained many constants. A controversial public project, the Myitsone Dam is widely opposed in Burma. The regime‟s unexpected decision to halt its construction this month has been interpreted as a concession to public pressure on the issue. However, one member of the public that was pressuring the government through a solo protest was arrested, and police are pursuing another who led a petition calling for construction to be halted. In another development, against the backdrop of ASEAN‟s selection of its 2014 chair, the regime stated that a prisoner amnesty was likely in the „near future‟. Although the regime continues to deny the existence of political prisoners inside the country, the leader of the regime‟s state advisory group, U Ko Ko Hlaing, did recognize that the regime will have to consider the issue of prisoner release and who will be freed.

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9-Monthly Chronology of Burma Political Prisoners for September 2011