NEW DELHI — Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh departed Sunday on a three-day visit to Myanmar that underscores India's quest for energy supplies and concerns about China's strong influence in the Southeast Asian country.YANGON, Myanmar – Families of political prisoners in Myanmar say a government clemency offer falls short of national reconciliation promises and shows that prisoners of conscience may remain incarcerated for a long time.
They called the order issued by President Thein Sein a disappointment and said it will cause a loss of confidence in his 10-month-old nominally civilian government.
Many activists and relatives of prisoners had hoped for an amnesty instead of sentence reductions.
Under the order issued Monday, death sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment, and prisoners serving more than 30 years will have their sentences cut to 30 years.
Many political prisoners have lengthy terms and will remain in prison.
