To the credit of President Thein Sein, none of the 23 political prisoners released before his departure from Burma to meet his US counterpart did not have to sign affidavits, according to the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), whose leader Hkun Htun Oo is one of the newly reinstituted 19-member scrutinizing committee.

Section 401 requires the freed prisoner to agree that if he/she is arrested for a new offense, he/she will have to serve the remaining term of his/her past offense as well as the new term as determined by the court.


“The 23 newly released (on 17 May) didn’t have anything to do with 401. It was unconditional. No signing of any documents,” Sai Nood aka Sai Nyunt Lwin, General Secretary of the SNLD told SHAN.

The 40 Shan State National Army (SSNA) fighters, released in March, were also due to recommendations made by the SNLD, added.

According to Sai Nyunt Lwin, the Committee for Scrutinizing the Remaining Prisoners of Conscience (CSRPC), chaired by U Soe Thane, Minister of President’s Office # 3, had invited Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and the SNLD to nominate one member each for the committee.

“The Tiger Head (SNLD’s logo) had named Sai Nyunt Lwin and NLD U Nyan Win,” he said. “But when the list was announced, it became Hkun Htun Oo (instead of me).”

Other members include Brig-Gen Kyaw Kyaw Tun, deputy home minister; U Aung Saw Win, director general, Bureau of Special Investigations; and U Bo Kyi, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), among others.

According to Sai Nyunt Lwin, the party has requested other parties and organizations to inform it of names and details of their members imprisoned by the government. Asked if the SNLD chairman receives and financial compensation from the government for his service, he replied, “No. we’re on our own expenses.”

The SNLD won statewide in the 1990 elections.