PRISON; RELEASED PRISONER, BRUCE AND DUSTAN; POLICE; OFFICIALS TALKING TO PRISONERS; PRISONERS CHEERING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS.




Initials GEM/VS/CCT/K



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNION OF TANGANYIKA AND ZANZIBAR TO FORM THE AFRICAN STATE OF TANZANIA HAS BEEN MARKED BY AN AMNESTY FOR NEARLY 6,000 PRISONERS. PRESIDENT NYERERE ALSO SIGNED AN ORDER REPRIEVING PRISONERS SENTENCED TO DEATH.

AMONG THE PRISONERS TO BENEFIT FROM THE PRESIDENT'S AMNESTY WERE 200 AT UKONGA PRISON NEAR THE CAPITAL OF TANZANIA, DAR ES SALAAM. THEY INCLUDED TWO WHITES -- A FORMER CONGOLESE MERCENARY, SOUTH AFRICAN MR ROY BRUCE, WHO HAD BEEN IMPRISONED FOR BRINGING ARMS INTO TANZANIA, AND MR MAX DUSTAN, AN AUSTRALIAN, WHO SERVED EIGHT DAYS IN UKONGA FOR FAILING TO LEAVE TANZANIA AFTER BEING ORDERED TO DO SO.

AS THE PRISONERS WERE RELEASED, AN OFFICIAL TOLD THEM THAT THE PRESIDENT HOPED THEY WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE AND HELP TO DEVELOP THEIR COUNTRY.

24 PRISONERS CONDEMNED TO DEATH HAD THEIR SENTENCES COMMUTED TO TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT UNDER THE AMNESTY, AND EIGHT ORDERS MADE UNDER THE PREVENTIVE DETENTION ACT WERE SUSPENDED. THREE PEOPLE PLACED UNDER RESTRICTION WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME DISTRICTS.

5,200 SHORT-TERM PRISONERS WERE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY, AND ANOTHER 5,000 PEOPLE SERVING LONG TERMS BENEFITED FROM INCREASED REMISSION.