September 19: The newspapers of Burma’s military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) recently claimed that there are no political prisoners in the country.

“The USA and allies falsely accused that over 1,000 political prisoners were detained in Myanmar (Burma). In fact, no one is detained for political reasons in Myanmar,” said a statement published in the junta’s mouthpiece, the New Light of Myanmar Tuesday. “Those who violated the existing laws, criminals and felons and terrorists are detained in accordance with the laws concerned”

The paper also claimed that “restrictions are placed upon Daw (Aung San) Suu Kyi as she has constantly been demanding for confrontation, defiance of all orders, utter devastation, resorting to four kinds of sanctions and reliance on external elements all of which will lead to harming the national unity, national stability and national development as well as hindering democratization process. Thus, she was restricted at home under section 10 (B) of the Law Safe-guarding the State from the Danger of Destructive Elements.”

But Ko Ko Gyi, one of the 88 Generation Students and a former political prisoner himself, told DVB the lack of the rule of law in Burma would not be able to promote democracy.

“What I mean is, the military government itself has officially confirmed and said that there are people detained in connection with politics in this country. In the statement issued at this time, it is said that there is no political prisoner. I am very surprised to see the people who are in charge of the country violating their own laws thus.”

“When you want to solve and approach a problem, in stead of pointing finger at the outside world and say because of this and that person, it is best to find the root answer to the problem domestically and concentrate on it,” added Ko Ko Gyi.