FROM TODAY'S NEWS:

Fifty former heads of state rally for release of Suu Kyi

Mungpi
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

May 14, 2007 - In an unprecedented move, 50 former heads of state from Europe, North and South Americas, Africa, and Asia today jointly called on Burma's military regime to immediately release detained opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The heads of state in a letter addressed to junta supremo Than Shwe, a copy of which was sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all 15 members of the UN Security Council, urged the junta to release Burma's Nobel Peace Laureate

"We strongly urge you to respond to the United Nations and countless other countries and regional groupings around the world by releasing Aung San Suu Kyi before May 27 and committing to participate in peaceful, tripartite dialogue as outlined by the General Assembly," the letter said.

Aung San Suu Kyi, general secretary of Burma's last election winning political party – the National League for Democracy, will complete her current term of detention on May 27.

She has been arrested thrice and has spent nearly 11 of the past 17 years in detention. She was last arrested in May 30, 2003 following a brutal attack on her entourage by junta-backed mobs during a political tour of central Burma.

The letter was released by former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik and signed by former Presidents and Prime Ministers.

Among others, the letter was signed by former heads of state from Asia including Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Filippino Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, Thailand Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, Indian Prime Ministers V.P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed, and Mongolian Prime Minister Elbegdorj Tsakhiagiin.

Meanwhile, the NLD today reiterated its call to Burma's military junta to immediately release party leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The letter submitted to the junta head Than Shwe said as Suu Kyi's current term of house arrest will expire on May 27 it is the appropriate time for the junta to release her for sake of national reconciliation in Burma.

The NLD won over 80 percent of parliamentary seats during Burma's last general election 1990. Despite the then military leaders' promise to hand over power, the junta refused to recognize the election results and detained Suu Kyi and her party elders.

Joining the chorus for the release of the 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate, Southeast Asian parliamentarians today reiterated their call for the immediate release of Burma 's democracy icon.

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) in a statement released today said, it apprehends that Suu Kyi will not be released when her current term of house arrest comes under review on May 27.

The AIPMC said it is appalling that Suu Kyi is having to spend such a long period of time in detention without even a trial.

"AIPMC finds this abhorring and is appalled by the fact that Burma's chosen leader is prevented from exercising her basic rights," said the statement.

While supporting the initiative by the former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, who secured the endorsement of 50 former heads of state around the world to call for the immediate release of Suu Kyi, AIPMC called on governments around the world, particularly ASEAN countries, to strongly and willfully be vocal in ensuring that Suu Kyi's detention is not extended.

I'm very impressed that the world leader did the job for Burma but Burmese SPDC has done so many inhumane things to it's own people and they can't simply relax and let them go. They need powerful institution like ILO to threaten them to go to international court. That will help Burma. They need a threat.

How can you said that. The military junta din't reconnonzed the result of the legislative poll they organised, they put in jail the opponents, they forced work a lot of people, their soldiers rape a lot of girls in the restive minority areas...

The collective campaign of 50 former world leaders for "Release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi" is very encouraging.

However, the leaders like UN chief, UNHCR, the leaders of the free democratic society around the world and international respected institutions, international community have consistently urged the ruling military government to free Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners unconditionally but the junta has rebuffed the calls and kept her under house arrest for most of the 11 of 18 years.

The junta’s self-styled State Peace and Development has never been able to make genuine peace and reconciliation in the country as a result of it ignores the will for democratic reforms of Burmese people and international community.

The generals in Rangoon/Nay Pyi Daw must come to realize that their consistent rebuffs for genuine democratic changes in Burma will have additional dire consequences for the people and the country.

Their evil acts must come to end for the sake of people and country.

It is the charge of the nine other members of Asean to presure de Burma military junta. They are the only ones that can do that. Burmanese general don't take care of countries and organizations taking already sanctions on them. But in Asean itself, what a country realy want a change in Burma ? Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia are dictature and Singapore is making a good business with the junta.

It’s, of course, the seven members of ASEAN were responsible to grant membership to Burma’s regime along with Cambodia and Laos in 1997. Especially, Malaysia’s former PM Mahathir Bin Mohamad was the most responsible to lobby the regime in the association.
He expressed deep regret for it after he was out of office. Shamed on you, Mahathir!

Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Singapore are ruled by ruthless dictators in another way and Thailand is the closet allied of Burma’s regime. Most of ASEAN members favour the regime but Brunei tries to stay away from the troubles with Burma. In return, they all get Burma’s natural resources with the lower than the market values. The regime gets financial prop ups from the regional trading and it’s getting stronger after all.

I complely agree with you. The shame in on Mahathir.

In 1997, he was the host of the annual meeting of Asean and he wanted that the three missing south east asian countries to join for the 30 anniversary this assocciation.

The E.U. has bilateral relations with Asean and apply sanctions against the military junta. So, she asked that Burma integration to be posponed, bur Mahathir strongly opposed

Jacques