Burma Campaign UK today called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to use his influence to ensure that the new committee set up to review political prisoner cases genuinely addresses the problem, and isn’t simply used to alleviate international pressure.
Burma Campaign UK has welcomed the announcement by Burma’s President Thein Sein to establish a review committee, but has raised concerns about 10 key issues, which if not addressed could undermine its credibility, and prevent it from genuinely addressing the issue of political prisoners in Burma. These ten issues are highlighted in our media release here.
Burma Campaign UK has written to Ban Ki-moon asking him to raise these issues with the government of Burma, and enclosed 1,000 campaign postcards from supporters, calling on him to keep his word to work for the release of ALL political prisoners in Burma.
“Ban Ki-moon has repeatedly said that all political prisoners must be released,” said Wai Hnin, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. “The committee to review political prisoners is an opportunity to address this issue and ensure all political prisoners are released, but only if it works in the correct way. Ban Ki-moon must seize this opportunity to make sure this committee operates properly.”
