Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines - Southeast Asian nations appealed to Myanmar on Tuesday to free Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy leader who has spent more than 11 of the last 17 years in detention.
Calls for Suu Kyi's freedom have been growing as she completes her latest detention term Sunday. The military government has given no indication it intends to release her from house arrest, and it is expected to renew its detention order.
The Nobel Peace laureate has given a face to the junta's history of political repression. Many nations have condemned her confinement, including Myanmar's fellow members in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
"It's a consensus that we want to see her early release," Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio said. "We'd like to see the lifting of the order."
He was speaking at a meeting of senior ASEAN diplomats to prepare for the annual meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Manila July. The Philippines also will host a meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia's largest security forum, in August.
Myanmar's delegate, Aung Bwa, said he was unaware if his government would extend Suu Kyi's detention. "Let's wait and see," he said.
Suu Kyi, head of the National League for Democracy party, has been held continuously since May 30, 2003, when her motorcade was attacked by a mob during a political tour of northern Myanmar.
ASEAN has often pressed Myanmar to democratize, a familiar refrain at the 10-nation bloc's annual meetings.
Imron Cotan, who led Indonesia's delegation, expressed impatience. "We have made these calls repeatedly, and Myanmar has found it difficult to respond," he said.
Although bound by an ASEAN edict not to interfere in each other's affairs, some members, like Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, have become more blunt in their criticism of Myanmar.
Authoritarian members, like Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, have adopted a friendlier attitude and have refused to engage use stinging words against the ruling generals.
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962, and the current leaders took power in 1988. They called elections in 1990, but refused to recognize the results when Suu Kyi's party won a resounding victory.
Myanmar should have been the ASEAN chairman and host of the regional summit this year, but it gave up the chance amid protests by Western governments. The prestigious chairmanship, rotated alphabetically among all members, was abruptly passed on to the Philippines.
Myanmar urged to relent on Suu Kyi
24 views and only 4 opinions? Do people really read this Asia news stuff? Pete
PS: All a "no" vote so far. I'm afraid we're right. She'll be released to go to a hospital and die sometime in the future. I think she's in her mid 60's now. However, some local neighboring countries could get some guts and cut their trade, power supply, migrant workers, loans....NAAAAAHHHH, who am I kidding.
PS: All a "no" vote so far. I'm afraid we're right. She'll be released to go to a hospital and die sometime in the future. I think she's in her mid 60's now. However, some local neighboring countries could get some guts and cut their trade, power supply, migrant workers, loans....NAAAAAHHHH, who am I kidding.
Well the Russians have their eyes on a nuclear program and good old Toxin would have been happy to trade with them 
When will we be writing "Thailand, formerly known as Siam, has been under military rule since 2006 ..."Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962...
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
I don't think so or we'll have a repeat of 1973 and 1992. The people won't stand for it, I hope. Reading between the lines of UST's posts, there is a lot of fire simmering under the covers. Petebuksida wrote:When will we be writing "Thailand, formerly known as Siam, has been under military rule since 2006 ..."
I have been following her fate from the first time i read about her in the Bangkok post some years ago . It would seem not one of the big country's care if she is being held under house arrest and will probably die that way.
Myanmar (Burma) is aloud to carry on committing crimes against its people and getting away with it .
I once complained to the shopping channel in the uk , because they were selling Burmese jade, and did they know how it was disgustingly obtained, they did not care.
Well the oil is already got out by shell and BP and the jade goes to Thailand so who wants to rock the boat and get kicked out NO ONE SO THEY ALL TURN A BLIND EYE TO EVERYTHING.
Myanmar (Burma) is aloud to carry on committing crimes against its people and getting away with it .
I once complained to the shopping channel in the uk , because they were selling Burmese jade, and did they know how it was disgustingly obtained, they did not care.
Well the oil is already got out by shell and BP and the jade goes to Thailand so who wants to rock the boat and get kicked out NO ONE SO THEY ALL TURN A BLIND EYE TO EVERYTHING.
European politicians have for many years tried to put pressure on Myanmar to release Aung San Suu Kyi from House arrest, imposing sanctions on the country.
President G. Busch has just extended the American sanctions against them, so the pressure against Myanmar is maintained.
One of the western worlds problems to keep up the pressure came from Mr Thaksin.
He wanted to normalize the connection between Thailand and Myanmar.
Building hydro electrical production facilities in the border regions.
The military take over in Thailand however abruptly brushed all plans aside, and Myanmar lost a friend.
We can only hope that the present sanctions will see to Aung San Suu Kyi's sudden release.
President G. Busch has just extended the American sanctions against them, so the pressure against Myanmar is maintained.
One of the western worlds problems to keep up the pressure came from Mr Thaksin.
He wanted to normalize the connection between Thailand and Myanmar.
Building hydro electrical production facilities in the border regions.
The military take over in Thailand however abruptly brushed all plans aside, and Myanmar lost a friend.
We can only hope that the present sanctions will see to Aung San Suu Kyi's sudden release.
I intend to live forever - so far so good.
The problem with sanctions is; they only effect the poor people on the street, not the dictators they are aimed at. I worked there in the Oil Industry a few years ago when the operation was shut down by the US sanctions, and most of the "labour" type people we had started crying, and pleading with us to stay, as a lot of them knew that they would be back on the street when we left.Norseman wrote: We can only hope that the present sanctions will see to Aung San Suu Kyi's sudden release.
Apart from military force, I do not know what the answer is. While the population is so strongly suppressed they have no hope of rising up against the regime. Taksin may have been more on the correct approach than we are willing to admit. Although he would have been lining his own pockets in the process, some of what he wanted to do would have made the regime more accountable, and provided jobs to at least some people.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
It is a very difficult situation for countries to get involved in other countries problems.
Do you think the coalition should move in to Burma after Iraq?
Sanctions only affect the poorer people.
The ASEAN member countries are doing their best by putting diplomatic pressure on Burma, but really, how can Indonesia talk! Their record of human right issues is pathetic too.
I feel sorry for the lady but we can do nothing in my opinion.
Do you think the coalition should move in to Burma after Iraq?
Sanctions only affect the poorer people.
The ASEAN member countries are doing their best by putting diplomatic pressure on Burma, but really, how can Indonesia talk! Their record of human right issues is pathetic too.
I feel sorry for the lady but we can do nothing in my opinion.
You only live once.
Fucking piss ants. I hope they rot in hell. Pete
___________________________________
YANGON (AFP) - Military-run Myanmar on Friday extended the house arrest of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi for another year, police sources told AFP, ignoring international calls for her freedom.
Officials visited the Nobel peace prize-winner at her lakeside home here to inform her, they said.
"We issued an order of further detention," one source said.
Another police source confirmed her latest period of detention, which started in May 2003 and was set to expire this weekend, was extended by a year.
"We informed her about the extension," said the source, who was among the officials who visited Aung San Suu Kyi.
The 61-year-old has spent most of the past 17 years under house arrest and has little contact with the outside world, apart from her live-in maid and visits from her doctor.
The last time the opposition leader -- the only Nobel peace laureate in detention -- was able to leave her house was November 2006, when the junta allowed her to meet visiting UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari for one hour.
The extension was widely expected, with observers saying the junta is fearful the hugely popular democracy leader could threaten its rule.
Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide victory in 1990 elections but was never allowed to govern, quickly denounced the extension.
"Our government totally ignored domestic and international calls demanding her freedom," said Myint Thein, an NLD spokesman.
"We are very disappointed by this. Her detention is not good for the country," he said.
Political figures from across the world have ramped up calls for her release, with ex-US president Bill Clinton and 58 other former world leaders sending a joint letter last week to junta head General Than Shwe.
Two other Nobel peace laureates -- former US president Jimmy Carter and former South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung -- were among those who signed the appeal.
US First Lady Laura Bush on Wednesday called on China, an ally of Myanmar, to join efforts to free her, saying that American women "stand with her and that we watch her and we think about her a lot."
Citing Myanmar's rights violations, including Aung San Suu Kyi's detention, the United States last week renewed sanctions against the regime for another year, as did the European Union in April.
In the past week the junta has detained at least 60 pro-democracy activists as they went to pagodas to pray for Aung San Suu Kyi's release, and 45 people, mostly NLD members, still remain in custody.
Amnesty International said Wednesday the human rights situation in Myanmar had worsened over the past the year with authorities stepping up repression of political opposition.
The United Nations has estimated there are 1,100 political prisoners in the country formerly known as Burma, which has been ruled by the military since 1962.
___________________________________
YANGON (AFP) - Military-run Myanmar on Friday extended the house arrest of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi for another year, police sources told AFP, ignoring international calls for her freedom.
Officials visited the Nobel peace prize-winner at her lakeside home here to inform her, they said.
"We issued an order of further detention," one source said.
Another police source confirmed her latest period of detention, which started in May 2003 and was set to expire this weekend, was extended by a year.
"We informed her about the extension," said the source, who was among the officials who visited Aung San Suu Kyi.
The 61-year-old has spent most of the past 17 years under house arrest and has little contact with the outside world, apart from her live-in maid and visits from her doctor.
The last time the opposition leader -- the only Nobel peace laureate in detention -- was able to leave her house was November 2006, when the junta allowed her to meet visiting UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari for one hour.
The extension was widely expected, with observers saying the junta is fearful the hugely popular democracy leader could threaten its rule.
Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide victory in 1990 elections but was never allowed to govern, quickly denounced the extension.
"Our government totally ignored domestic and international calls demanding her freedom," said Myint Thein, an NLD spokesman.
"We are very disappointed by this. Her detention is not good for the country," he said.
Political figures from across the world have ramped up calls for her release, with ex-US president Bill Clinton and 58 other former world leaders sending a joint letter last week to junta head General Than Shwe.
Two other Nobel peace laureates -- former US president Jimmy Carter and former South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung -- were among those who signed the appeal.
US First Lady Laura Bush on Wednesday called on China, an ally of Myanmar, to join efforts to free her, saying that American women "stand with her and that we watch her and we think about her a lot."
Citing Myanmar's rights violations, including Aung San Suu Kyi's detention, the United States last week renewed sanctions against the regime for another year, as did the European Union in April.
In the past week the junta has detained at least 60 pro-democracy activists as they went to pagodas to pray for Aung San Suu Kyi's release, and 45 people, mostly NLD members, still remain in custody.
Amnesty International said Wednesday the human rights situation in Myanmar had worsened over the past the year with authorities stepping up repression of political opposition.
The United Nations has estimated there are 1,100 political prisoners in the country formerly known as Burma, which has been ruled by the military since 1962.
Unless the military stand down, stop censoring everything, and allow the Thai people to democratically choose their future - I fear that "Siam" wont be far behind.da wrote:One of the worst countries in the world.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson