Government demands release of Burmese politicians

Foreign Office Minister Douglas Alexander has called on the Burmese government to immediately release ten politicians arrested and charged with sedition.

The ten were arrested in February after attending a meeting to mark Shan National Day. No family or lawyer access has been granted to the men.

Mr Alexander said: “I am concerned that ten Shan politicians including Sai Htin and Khun Tun Oo, arrested in early February, are now facing charges of sedition. These charges are unjustified, and appear to be aimed at preventing politicians from participating in the National Convention.

“These developments underline our view that the Convention, which was only just recently re-convened, will not promote national reconciliation or help to resolve the ethnic minority problems which have beset Burma for decades and retarded its development.”