...to allow people to withdraw their coins?
The government doesnt opperate on a level of care like that. Nobody really has the power in the government to slow down any process. Once "bad" actions have taken place its all hands on deck to make things "right".
There is no "right" in criminal activity. Do you think that government will allow people to withdraw their bitcoins? After all they know people used it to buy illegal stuff? What kind of government allows criminals to 'take their money and go home'?
Not all the people were buying illegal stuff though. There was one seller from the UK who just sold headshop-types of stuff - papers, grinders etc and he wanted his coins back and should have got them if he wasn't doing anything wrong.
Edit Check out the story here
http://www.coindesk.com/silk-road-seller-sues-stop-government-sale/