Mon political prisoners released
Nai Yekkha and Nai Myo Twe from New Mon State Party who were serving life sentences in Burma’s notorious jails were released on April 30.
Burma government representatives, Union Minister for Electric Power, U Zaw Min, and the Mon State Prime Minister handed the two prominent political prisoners to Nai Htaw Mon, the chairman of the NMSP in Moulmein Town.
An excited NMSP member from Moulmein told Karen News.
“We are very happy they released the two of our guys. We had requested their release many times.”
The Mon prisoners, Nai Yekkha and Nai Myo Twe, were charged with treason and were given death sentences on November 28, 2003, that were later commuted to life.
Nai Yekkha was held at Insien Prison in Rangoon and Nai Myo Twe was transferred in 2009 from Insein Prison to Thayarwaddy Prison, Bago Region.
The release of the political prisoners came on the back of a ceasefire the NMSP recently signed with the Burma government. A seven member delegation from the NMSP, led by its Vice-Chairman, Nai Rot Sa, met with representatives of the Burma government, led by Railways Minister Aung Min, at Moulmein, Mon State and signed a ceasefire agreement paper on February 1.
Following a ceasefire with the Karen National Union in March the Burma government on March 19, 2012 also released a KNU leader Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung who was serving a life sentence.
