December 29, 2015•Update: December 29, 2015
By Kyaw Ye Lynn
YANGON, Myanmar
Hundreds of protesters -- mostly members of a nationalist Buddhist monk organization – gathered Tuesday in a Yangon playground to pray for two Myanmar migrants sentenced to death for murdering two British tourists in Thailand.
Protesters – now led by a famous nationalist Ma Ba Tha monk -- have been flocking to the Thai Embassy since the controversial conviction of Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun by a Thai court last Thursday, demanding the immediate release of the 22-year-olds.
“We are demanding justice for our Myanmar nationals,” said Pamaukkha, abbot of Magway monastery in Yangon who organized Tuesday’s protest.
“I will organize a series of protests until they are released unconditionally,” he told supporters at the rally at Bo Sein Man playground in Yangon’s Bahan Township.
“The Thai government, at least, must review the court decision,” he said.
The case has drawn widespread criticism amid allegations of mishandling of DNA and police torture as both men initially confessed to the crime only to recant later.
The protesters, including some members of the Rakhine ethnic community in the country’s troubled west, then moved Tuesday afternoon to the Thai embassy – which has remained shut this week due to the protests.
Myanmar’s powerful army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing sent a message to Thailand’s deputy prime minister and defense minister, General
Prawit Wongsuwon, and army chief General Sommai Kaotira through Myanmar’s embassy Saturday, asking that the death sentences against the two migrant workers be reviewed.
Local media also reported that relatives of King Thibaw, Myanmar’s last monarch, sent a letter Monday to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, requesting mercy for the Myanmar youths.
Thai officials have refused to budge, with junta leader-cum-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha telling reporters Monday, "They can still appeal the sentence, can't they? Why don't you [reporters] raise this much fuss about other cases?"
Meanwhile, police spokesperson Piyaphan Pingmuang reiterated previous statements that investigations into the case were carried out professionally and transparently.
Rights group Amnesty International has expressed it is “deeply concerned” by Thursday’s death sentence while human rights activists have underlined the prejudices they say the case illustrates against migrant workers, who make up the bulk of the workforce in the resorts of southern Thailand.
