By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar’s junta is to release 7,114 prisoners on the 21st anniversary of the military’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests, media reports and officials said Thursday.
The amnesty will come into effect Friday but it was not immediately clear whether political prisoners would be among those freed, according to state TV and officials.
There are an estimated 2,100 political prisoners in Myanmar jails, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi who was recently placed under house arrest for another 18 months after serving a six-year detention sentence.
On Sep 18, 1988, General Saw Maung seized power and set up the State Law and Order Restoration Council which thereafter cracked down on mass pro-democacy demonstrations leaving an estimated 3,000 people dead.
The bloody anniversary has also been marked by six separate bomb explosions in Yangon’s suburbs Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
Altogether six explosions were reported in Hlaing Tha Yar and Shwe Pauk Kan townships. There were no reported injuries or damage from the bombs, which were placed in isolated areas away from crowds, sources said.
Political observers speculated that the bombs might be a show of defiance against the ruling junta, on the anniversary of the crackdown.
Myanmar remains under military rule today.