Although there have been improvements in human rights in Myanmar, AI remains concerned about certain violations of fundamental rights which were reported in the period covered by this paper. Non-violent critics of the ruling SLORC continued to be arrested and sentenced to long prison terms and ethnic minorities, particularly the Karen, were still at grave risk of repressive measures by the security forces in the course of counter-insurgency operations. Torture and ill-treatment of ethnic minorities during forced portering and of political prisoners was still a common occurence. Released prisoners of conscience are routinely subjected to intimidation.
