U Tin Oo, Deputy Leader of the NLD released from house arrest

U Tin Oo, the Deputy Leader of the National League for Democracy was released on Saturday from his house arrest.

He had been arrested in 2003 along with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, while their convoy was attacked in an event known as the Depayin Massacre.

Every year his house arrest was extended, and this year, when his sentence expired, he was released. He is 82 years old and was a founding member of the NLD in 1988.

NLD spokesperson U Khin Maung Swe said "He has some health problems, but we believe that he can resume his party activities.”

The Burma Partnership operating from Thailand said, “While we welcoming the news of his release, we are disappointed to see the the same old story of the regime trying to buy applaud from the international community just as the UN human rights envoy Quintana will be visiting Burma this week.

It is a usual tactic of the military regime over the years to release a certain number of prominent political prisoners before UN visits. “

It is learnt that there are still over 2,100 political prisoners languishing in the Burma’s notorious prisons, including democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and their unconditional release is imperative for national reconciliation.

- Asian Tribune -