Yesterday was a great day for justice. An innocent man, Danny Fenster, was released from Insein prison today and sent back home to the United States. He was released from false charges, after 6 months in prison. Charges that the junta had levied against him for no reason but to use him as a bargaining chip. But now he is released and a day where we can celebrate in Myanmar is a rare and beautiful opportunity and we should all take a moment to reflect on the relief he, his family and his friends must be feeling. Hold this moment for now and savour their happiness. 

The military has hereby demonstrated yet again that the charges laid against Danny Fenster and other Political prisoners in Myanmar are just fabricated for political purposes and without basis in law. The fact that they could charge him at the maximum and then just turn around and let him go is proof that they knew the charges to be fake, they knew the trial to be fake. The military should admit as much and pay proper compensation to Danny for their violence against him. Yet they cannot, as they are so focused on saving their own face. What’s more, the ease with which they did this also belies the fact that they can easily change their mind and do the right thing. Every day they have the choice to return the power to the people, to lay their weapons down and to let all Political Prisoners such as Daw Aung San Su Kyi, U Win Myint, Sean Turnell and other leaders free. Yet every day they chose to continue holding a country hostage as they held Danny hostage. 

While I wish to celebrate more heartedly this lovely development, my heart continues to break. Thousands still remain behind bars, in prisons across Myanmar as Political prisoners like Danny was.. Look at a photo of Danny today and Danny months ago and you will see how he has suffered. It is written in every inch of his body. Yet he, as a precious bargaining chip, would have been taken care of relatively better than the average Myanmar citizen. Imagine the pain they are in… It is a sad moment even as we celebrate Danny, we must lament for our people. 

The military must release all who are held under false pretenses, they must stop their reign of terror and they must let the people of Myanmar decide their own destiny democratically.

This statement has been purposefully held back until Danny Fenster safely left the country and got well away from the military’s control.

Sincerely,

H.E. Dr. Sasa
Union Minister of Ministry of International Cooperation
Spoke Person of Nation Unity Government
Former Special Envoy to United Nations