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Reuters

Myanmar on Thursday freed 155 Chinese jailed for illegal logging in an amnesty for thousands of prisoners, a move that could ease diplomatic tensions with Beijing.
Some 6,966 prisoners were pardoned, including the Chinese citizens held in Kachin state, of which 153 were given life sentences last week that prompted a diplomatic protest by an "extremely concerned" China.
Despite Myanmar's flurry of engagement with the West since a quasi-civilian government replaced a junta in 2011, its ties with China - its economic lifeline during two decades of sanctions - remain crucial to trade, security and energy.
Relations soured this year, however, over fighting between Myanmar's army and a rebel militia that has seen Chinese citizens killed by stray shells in border areas.
The loggers were among 210 foreigners included in yesterday's amnesty, according to Myanmese prison and home ministry officials.
Myint Wai, director of the immigration bureau in Myitkyina, where the loggers were held, said buses were waiting to take them to the border.
The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed the loggers had been released and said they would return home today.
The loggers were arrested in January in a crackdown on Myanmar's lucrative illegal logging and timber trade. More than 400 vehicles and 1,600 logs were seized during the raid, state media said at the time.
Myanmar's porous border with China has long been a hotbed for illegal trade in timber and jade to feed Chinese demand.
The pardons, timed to coincide with a Buddhist religious holiday, come ahead of a November general election.
The polls have triggered criticism that reformist President Thein Sein's government is backsliding on political reforms it had promised upon taking power in 2011 after almost five decades of repressive military rule.
Past Myanmar governments have released political prisoners as a way of assuaging criticism from abroad.
It was unclear if political prisoners were among those freed, said Bo Kyi, of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which monitors prisoners of conscience, of which more than 2,000 were held in Myanmar's jails and labour camps under military rule.
"Many prisoners will be released, but I'm not sure what kind of prisoners," he said.
Myanmar's incarceration of journalists, activists, politicians and even comedians was a key factor behind the West's imposition of sanctions, many of which were eased when Thein Sein started releasing hundreds of political prisoners.
He had said there would be no more prisoners of conscience by the end of 2013, a promise human rights groups say he has broken.
According to the association, Myanmar, as of last week, had 136 political prisoners and another 448 facing trial.
Reuters, Associated Press


Myanmar frees 155 Chinese loggers among 7,000 prisoners in national amnesty

Chinese loggers look out from a bus window after being freed on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

Myanmar had jailed 153 Chinese loggers for life, and two others for 10 years for illegal logging. File photo: Reuters

Myanmar sentences 153 Chinese illegal loggers to life imprisonment

Regions along Myanmar's porous border with the mainland have long been hotbeds for the illegal trade in timber to feed Chinese demand. Photo: Reuters

News

China

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Asia

Release of the jailed mainland nationals may help Yangon ease tensions with Beijing


Beijing had protested against jail sentences following their arrests in January after being caught in Myanmar with more than 400 vehicles and 1,600 logs, despite a timber export ban since 2014


Myanmar frees 155 Chinese loggers among 7,000 prisoners in national amnesty

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Release of the jailed mainland nationals may help Yangon ease tensions with Beijing

Release of the jailed mainland nationals may help Yangon ease tensions with Beijing