Myanmar frees opposition vice-chairman from 6-year house arrest News
Myanmar frees opposition vice-chairman from 6-year house arrest

[JURIST] The government of Myanmar released [BBC report] 82-year old democracy activist U Tin Oo from six years of house arrest [CNN report] on Friday, just days before UN special envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana [official profile] is to visit the country [AFP report]. Oo, a decorated general, is the Vice-Chairman of the National League of Democracy (NLD) [advocacy website], the opposition party headed by Aung San Syu Kyii [BBC profile; JURIST news archive], currently under house arrest herself. Opposition activists have been expecting his release [Mizzima report] after word leaked out the general was undergoing eye surgery at the American Eye Vision Hospital in Rangoon. Thant Zin Oo, the general's son, said the release was a calculated political move [Irrawaddy report] designed to appease the UN.

The Burmese government announced last year that it was processing grants of immunity [JURIST report] to allow prisoners to participate in the 2010 general elections [BBC report] but it is unclear if the NLD will take part in them [AP report]. Burmese Home Minister Major General Maung Oo [official website] recently announced that Suu Kyi will be released from house arrest in November when her sentence is scheduled to expire.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.