Myanmar opposition urges Aung San Suu Kyi's release
By Tay Jia Hao,WNS Southeast Asia Bureau Chief
BANGKOK - Myanmar's opposition National League for Democracy has urged the military government to free its leader Aung San Suu Kyi at a ceremony held two days after a visit by a top UN envoy. Some 250 people came to the party's headquarters for low-key services to mark Myanmar's National Day, buoyed by the sight of the first pictures of the Nobel peace laureate seen in at least three years. The party displayed the photos of Aung San Suu Kyi and UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari, taken when the Nigerian diplomat met her Saturday in a rare visit allowed by the ruling military.
In the pictures, which were released by the United Nations, Aung San Suu Kyi, 61, wore a traditional purple silk "longyi" dress with flower prints. She appeared to be healthy and gave a modest smile as she met with Gambari. Some 20 plainclothes police monitored the party's gathering from outside the building, but did nothing to stop the event. In a statement, the NLD called for dialogue and national reconciliation with the ruling military, and again urged the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the 1,100 other political prisoners believed to be held in Myanmar.
"We urge the government to release Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners immediately and unconditionally," the party said in a statement. Gambari told reporters Monday in Bangkok that he had urged the ruling military leader, Senior General Than Shwe, to release her. His meeting with her last weekend was his second this year. He was the only outsider allowed to see her in more than two years. After his four-day visit to Myanmar, he said the ruling military should take "concrete steps" on human rights, democratic reform and national reconciliation. The NLD won 1990 elections in a landslide victory, but the military refused to recognize the result.
posted by wnsworld @ 6:19 PM
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