HUMAN rights activists in Welwyn Garden City were overjoyed this week to hear that the Burmese political prisoner they have been campaigning for has been released.
Retired academic Dr Salai Tun Than walked out of his prison in Rangoon on Sunday morning May 4, along with about 20 others imprisoned for their beliefs.
The frail 75-year-old was weak from a hunger strike he had begun a week earlier to protest against his conditions.
Mr Reg Pyne of the Welwyn Garden City Amnesty International group, which has been sending Burmese government officials more than 20 letters every month about Dr Tun Than since June, said: "We are delighted very very pleased indeed.
"That is one achieved, now we must fight for the rest.
"We won't be dropping Burma we must keep up the pressure."
About 1,000 Welwyn Garden City residents had backed the group's petition, which will be sent to the Burmese government to demonstrate the depth of feeling the case has inspired.
Dr Tun Than was given a seven-year sentence in November 2001 for campaigning for an election in the military dictatorship, which continues to detain about 1,400 political prisoners.
May 7, 2003 13:00
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