April 28: Former Burmese student leaders and political activists, U Tin Aung and Ko Tin Aye were released from Rangoon Insein Jail on 28 April after spending more than a decade and a half in prison. The followings are comments of fellow ex-political prisoners who were released recently:

Dr. Ne Win: I am very happy. U Tin Aung was in the same case with us. Tin Aung was a returnee from Coco Islands in 1968. Ko Tin Aye was from Ba-ka-Tha (All Burma Federation of Student Unions ABSFU in English). His real name is Ko Khin Maung Yi. His father dies while he was in prison. Now, his mother is suffering from breast cancer. She went to have a blood
transfusion in Rangoon general Hospital.

I went to the gate of the prison but he was not there. He will be at the hospital tonight. I am very happy for them. Ko Thet Khaing, U Aung Khin, Ko Than Naing; we all went to prison in 1989 together. It has been more than 15 years now into 16 years. They all should be released. There are still people from Karen, Arakan groups who were sentenced to 20 years, still remaining in prisons. They should be released as soon as possible. All the remaining political prisoners should be released.

Min Ko Naing: Not only Ko Tin Aye, all the students who are remaining in prisons should be released. For example, people such as a high school pupil Thet Win Aung who has been sentenced to 60 years, should be released. We all want the release of students and political prisoners such as Myo Win Htike and Htay Aung to be released. I warmly welcome the release of Ko Tin Aye. We all welcome them with joy.

Ko Ko Gyi: ?As a person who was involved in 8888 uprising, I feel more deeply about the students. The reason is, we had paid with their whole life. While we were there, more young people were sent to prison often. I was very saddened by looking at them. I am very worried for the youth who lost their time among court courts losing all their energetic and youthful potentials for the country. Therefore, I am hoping and urging for the release of the remaining students and political prisoners.

Ko Pyone Cho: I am very happy to hear that Ko Tin Aye and the like are released. Not only him, I want all other students to b released. They have been living inside prisons a long time like us. They all want to be reunited with their loved ones whom they have been away from a long time. And I want all other students to be released. They will have a lot of good ideas for the country. I am hoping and I want all to be released.