BurmaNet News, May 19-21, 2007

[Editor]

May 19-21, 2007 Issue # 3208


INSIDE BURMA
AP: Myanmar political activists visit relatives of detained pro-democracy
leader Suu Kyi
DVB: 88 Generation Students to step up peaceful protests
Irrawaddy: Labor activist harassed over forced labor case
AP: North Korean ship docks in Myanmar for first time since agreement on
diplomatic links
Narinjara: RFA launches Arakanese language programme

ON THE BORDER
Kantarawaddy Times: British MPs survey situation in Karenni refugee camp

HEALTH / AIDS
Mizzima: Joint HIV awareness training by Burmese and Indian NGO

BUSINESS / TRADE
AP: Newspaper: Myanmar set to sign pacts for more hydropower investment by
China, Thailand
AP: Myanmar predicts foreign trade to exceed US$8 billion in current
fiscal year

REGIONAL
AFP: Malaysia urges ASEAN unity on Suu Kyi's detention
AFP: Asian lawmakers call for Suu Kyi's release
Mizzima: Over 50 Indian law makers join call to release Suu Kyi
The Australian: India boosts its arms sales to Burma junta

INTERNATIONAL
AP: U.N. rights chief says Suu Kyi release needed for democracy in Myanmar

STATEMENT
UN High Commission for Human Rights: Statement by Louise Arbour

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

May 20, Associated Press
Myanmar political activists visit relatives of detained pro-democracy
leader Suu Kyi

Yangon: Myanmar activists seeking the freedom of political prisoners
visited cousins of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi Sunday,
concluding a campaign to highlight the plight of detainees.

Members of the "88 Generation Students' Group," who led pro-democracy
demonstrations in 1988, launched their "White Sunday Campaign" in March,
wearing white and visiting relatives of those incarcerated most weekends
to heighten awareness of their plight and raise morale.

The activists visited the house of Nge Ma Ma Than and Cho Aung Than, first
cousins of Suu Kyi, while dozens of plainclothes security personnel
videotaped and photographed the group.

Suu Kyi has been held continuously since May 30, 2003, when her motorcade
was attacked by a pro-junta mob during a political tour of northern
Myanmar.

She has spent more than 11 of the last 17 years in detention. Suu Kyi's
party won a general election in 1990, but the military junta, which seized
power in 1988, refused to recognize the result and instead persecuted
members of the pro-democracy movement.
Ko Ko Gyi, a leader of the 88 Generation group, said that after visiting
Suu Kyi's cousins the activists went to a Buddhist temple to pray for the
release of Suu Kyi and all political prisoners. They found the gates to
the pagoda closed and had to pray outside the temple.

The United Nations estimates that there are more than 1,200 political
prisoners in Myanmar.

"We launched the campaign to boost the morale of family members of
political prisoners who are usually treated as outcasts," Ko Ko Gyi said.

"We have faced harassment and threats by local authorities during the
campaign but we ... will continue with our peaceful and nonviolent
activities for peace and freedom for all political prisoners."

Suu Kyi's supporters have been holding prayer vigils every day this month
until May 27, when the detention order under which she is being held
expires. Over the past week, more than 40 people attending the vigils have
been arrested and accused of using religion as a pretext to incite unrest.
Others have been harassed or threatened.

Her detention is expected to be renewed by the government.

____________________________________

May 21, Democratic Voice of Burma
88 Generation Students to step up peaceful protests

The 88 Generation Students group said yesterday they planned to step up
efforts for the release of political prisoners in Burma as their latest
White Sunday campaign came to an official end.

Activists involved in the White Sunday campaign, which was launched nine
weeks ago, dress in white shirts and travel to the homes of political
prisoners every Sunday to offer support and solidarity to their families.

The campaign ended on a high note yesterday with a group of about 150
activists travelling to the home of detained democracy icon Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi’s cousins. Her younger cousin, Daw Nge Ma Ma Than, said she was
overjoyed to meet with the former student leaders.

“I’m really happy that they came to encourage us. As my sister and as a
leader, I wish Daw Suu to be freed. I wish for all the political prisoners
to be freed,” Dawn Nge Ma Ma Than told DVB.

High-profile former student leader Min Ko Naing said that the 88
Generation Students would step up campaigns for the release of political
prisoners and would now be visiting families to offer solidarity any day
of the week.

He said many Burmese people disagreed with the policies and tactics of the
military and that it was time for domestic and international movements to
gain momentum.

“What we wanted to say has been heard by the international community. The
White campaign will continue. We will still go to the prisoners' houses
and still encourage them. But now we will not only do this on Sundays,”
Min Ko Naing said.

____________________________________

May 21, The Irrawaddy
Labor activist harassed over forced labor case - Yeni

A facilitator for a complaint by a victim of forced labor in Pegu Division
was harassed by local authorities last week.

Nyan Win, a 51-year-old villager of Nyaung Wine village in Kyaktaga
Township—located on the west bank of  the Sittang River about 70 miles
northeast of Rangoon—said he was threatened by township level authorities
led by the head of the general administrative department and the local
police chief.

"They told me they can arrest me anytime they want to if I complain
again," Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy on Monday.

According to the Pegu-based social and legal advocacy group Guiding Star,
which monitors and documents human rights abuses in Burma, Nyan Win helped
a family whose son has been missing for more than one year after he was
forced to serve as a porter for the army. A complaint seeking assistance
was addressed to Maj-Gen Ko Ko, commander of the southern command.

"This might be a violation of the recent agreement between the
International Labour Organization and the Burmese government," said Aye
Myint, a leading labor rights lawyer. "We will officially complain to
Rangoon's ILO liaison officer tomorrow."

In February, Burma and the ILO agreed to an "understanding" which allows
alleged victims of forced labor to make complaints to the international
body.

According to an ILO statement, the “victims of forced labor have full
freedom to submit complaints to the ILO liaison office” in Rangoon with a
guarantee that “no retaliatory action will be taken.”

Some observers have suggested that incidents of forced labor have dropped
recently in major cities in Burma following ILO pressure on the military
regime. Others, however, say people are still conscripted without pay in
rural areas to work on local development projects as well as on offensive
military operations against ethnic insurgent groups, in which they are
used as porters.

Last month, the Burmese Army forced several villagers in Karen State near
the Thai border to provide ox carts and carry military supplies and food,
according to a report released on Monday by the Free Burma Rangers, a
relief group that assists displaced Burmese people.

"One of these villagers stepped on a landmine that had been placed by the
Burma Army near their camp,” it said. Five villagers were injured by the
explosion, according to the report.

____________________________________

May 20, Associated Press
North Korean ship docks in Myanmar for first time since agreement on
diplomatic links

Yangon: A cargo ship from North Korea docked in Myanmar on Sunday in what
was believed the be the first port call by a ship from the communist
nation since the two countries agreed last month to resume diplomatic
relations.

The Kang Nam I docked at Thilawa port, 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of
Yangon, said witnesses who asked not to be named for fear of breaching
security regulations.

Myanmar permitted a North Korean cargo ship in distress to anchor at a
port in November last year and conducted an inspection on board that
"found no suspicious material or military equipment."

The incident grabbed attention because of suspicions that North Korea
supplies weapons and weapons technology to Myanmar. Both countries are
pariah states, shunned by much of the international community, and
Pyongyang has a record of exporting missiles and other weapons to
countries which might not otherwise be able to obtain such armaments.

It was not known what kind of cargo the Kang Nam I was carrying or whether
Myanmar authorities have conducted an inspection of the vessel.

Last October, the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved sanctions
that included inspections of North Korean ships. The U.N. measures were
prompted by North Korea's nuclear test on Oct. 9.

The Kang Nam I was detained in Hong Kong less than two weeks after the
sanctions were passed, amid rumors that the United States had asked for it
to be searched on suspicion it was carrying weapons or other contraband.

But Hong Kong port authorities said the ship was held because of safety
violations after inspectors found faulty navigational, firefighting and
safety equipment on board, as well as outdated nautical charts. North
Korean ships are notorious for poor maintenance, and often in violation of
port safety rules.

Myanmar and North Korea, two of Asia's most authoritarian countries,
signed an agreement last month to resume diplomatic ties. Ties had been
severed in 1983 after a fatal bombing carried out by North Korean spies
seeking to assassinated South Korea's then-President Chun Doo-hwan during
a visit to Yangon.

____________________________________

May 21, Associated Press
Myanmar predicts foreign trade to exceed US$8 billion in current fiscal year

Yangon: Myanmar, which is under U.S. and EU economic sanctions, expects
its foreign trade to exceed US$8 billion (euro5.9 billion) in the fiscal
year through March 2008, a private news journal said Monday.

Trade volume for just-ended fiscal year jumped 40 percent to US$7.93
billion (euro5.8 billion) from US$5.54 billion the previous year, Myanmar
Times reported, quoting officials from the Commerce Ministry.

Exports exceeded imports by nearly US$2.1 billion (euro1.54 billion) last
fiscal year, up from a trade surplus of US$1.58 billion the previous year,
the report said.

Myo Oo, a senior official in the Commerce Ministry, attributed the trade
surplus to higher natural gas exports and a decline in illegal trade
activities after a crackdown on cross-border smuggling.

Imports rose 47 percent to US$2.92 billion (euro2.15 billion) in the last
fiscal year from US$1.98 billion (euro1.46 billion) the previous year, the
report said.

The United States and the European Union have imposed economic sanctions
against Myanmar in recent years to pressure the military government to
improve human rights and release detained pro-democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi.

____________________________________

May 21, Narinjara News
RFA launches Arakanese language programme

The US-based Radio Free Asia, Burmese programme yesterday launched a
five-minute Arakanese language service during its ethnic programme.

The Arakanese language news was read yesterday by Ko Myo Tun, Narinjara
reporter, and Ma Su Mrat Mon. The Arakanese language programme will be
supervised by Narinjara editor Khiang Mrat Kyaw.

News in Arakanese language is to be aired towards the end of the RFA
Burmese programme every Sunday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Burma
Standard Time. The RFA Burmese programme will also launch a Mon language
section from next Saturday.

Shan, Karen, Karenni, Kachin, and Chin have had their respective language
programmes being aired on RFA's service since last year.

Another Arakanese programme by Norway-based Democratic Voice of Burma, is
also aired every Sunday.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

May 19, Kantarawaddy Times
British MPs survey situation in Karenni refugee camp

A group of British Members of Parliament visited Karenni refugee camp 1,
last Wednesday and surveyed the situation.

The trip by the MPs was to study the situation refugees are in at the camp
and the difficulties they are facing.

"They asked us about the difficulties we are facing. We, from the refugee
committee told them that we have no major problems. Then they asked about
the refugee committee election. They wanted to know who arranges the
election and how the committee is elected," said Khu Pho Byar Shay Reh,
the chairperson of the committee.

"They did not seem to be satisfied with the answer that there were no big
problems in the refugee camp. The MPs could automatically understand that
refugees were living in fear," he said.

The MPs also asked about growing domestic violence. The refugee committee
said that domestic violence did exist. The committee has been trying to
create awareness on domestic violence with the GVB which is a branch of
the IRC. If this could be done on a long term basis, domestic violence
could be reduced.

The refugee committee urged the MPs to persuade Thai authorities to
acknowledge new refugees who arrived in 2007 and allow students who had
passed high school the opportunity for further studies.

The MPs visited clinics, a training school, schools, and plantations.

"The visit of leaders from the international community is good for us. It
shows that the international community and NGOs are interested and want to
take care of the refugees. It is a message to local authorities. If
international leaders visit often, local authority's policy towards us
will soften," said Khu Pho Byar Shay Reh.

There are over 20,000 refugees living in Karenni camps, on the Thai-Burma
border. Refugees have been facing difficulties in travelling, going for
higher education and procuring legal work permits.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

May 21, Mizzima News
Joint HIV awareness training by Burmese and Indian NGO - Mungpi

In a concerted effort at preventing spread of HIV infection among migrants
and the refugee community in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram, a
Burmese social welfare group and a local organisation today held a one-day
HIV awareness seminar.

The Burmese Social Welfare Association and the Samaritan Society of
Mizoram, said migrants and the refugee community because of a lack of
awareness constitute one of the communities most vulnerable to HIV
infection.

Ko Htwe, secretary of the Burmese Social Welfare Association, told Mizzima
that among the Burmese community in Mizoram there are a sizable number of
people living with AIDS.

"We have seen that even among the Burmese community there are people who
are ignorant of HIV and how it can spread. So, we are trying to create
awareness among them," Ko Htwe said.

Burmese migrants and refugees, who illegally cross over the porous
Indo-Burma border, also carry the virus, he said. Besides, he added, these
groups of people, who work as labourers struggle to earn a living, which
sometimes does not permit them to spend time to attend awareness training
programmes.

"These people have to work hard for a living spread in various job sites
and are not able to spare the time for such awareness trainings and with
lack of awareness, they don't know how it could spread," said Ko Htwe.

"There is danger that if a person is tests positive, at least 10 persons
around him are likely to be transmitted the disease," Ko Htwe said.

While unable to comment on the number of Burmese migrants and refugees
living with AIDS in Mizoram state, he said, according to a blood test
conducted on 36,551 people in 2006 there were at least 1,994 positive
cases, which included Burmese migrants.

John Thansanga, Project manager of the Samaritan Society of Mizoram, told
Mizzima that his organisation has been actively engaged in imparting
training and awareness to both Burmese as well as Indian migrants, who
have come to settle in Mizoram.

"We are organising these types of seminars in order to boost awareness
among these people. We believe, those who participate in the seminar today
will reproduce them again," John said.

Besides organising the seminar, the Samaritan Society and the BSWA also
released HIV awareness pamphlets in three languages - Burmese, Bengali and
Mizo - in order to reach out to people as far as inside Burma, Ko Htwe
said.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

May 21, The Associated Press
Newspaper: Myanmar set to sign pacts for more hydropower investment by
China, Thailand

Yangon: Myanmar, which is facing an acute power shortage, is set to sign a
series of deals with neighboring China and Thailand to build hydropower
plants in eastern and southern Myanmar, a newspaper reported Monday.

The Ministry of Electric Power is expected to sign deals with companies
from the two neighboring countries to build major power plants in eastern
Shan state and southeastern Tanintharyi, the Myanmar Times reported,
quoting an unnamed ministry official.

Chinese companies were seeking to sign a deal for two hydropower projects
in eastern Shan State and a Thai company is pursuing a project in
Tanintharyi also known as Tanasserim Division, the paper said.

No further details, such as the names of the interested companies or the
likely amount of investment, were mentioned.

A survey conducted for the Tanintharyi project indicated that the
hydropower project could generate 600 megawatts, the paper said.

Myanmar has concluded several hydropower agreements with China and
Thailand, including a US$6 billion agreement (€5 billion) with Thailand's
MDX Group to build the 7,110-megawatt Ta Sang hydropower plant on the
Salween River.

The plan to dam the Salween has drawn strong protests from environmental
groups who claim it will degrade one of the region's most biodiverse
areas, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Opponents of Myanmar's ruling junta say the dam construction will likely
involve forced labor. When the dams are built and surrounding land
flooded, it could also lead to ethnic minority groups, long been oppressed
by the central government, being driven from their villages.

Myanmar faces constant power shortages, with many parts of the country
suffering frequent outages because the electricity supply has been unable
to keep up with rising demand.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

May 21, Agence France Presse
Malaysia urges ASEAN unity on Suu Kyi's detention

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia Monday urged a united stand from Southeast Asian
nations to push for the release of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi, a week before her current house arrest is reviewed.

"ASEAN countries must act together. There cannot (just) be some ASEAN
countries that may be sympathetic towards what is happening (in Myanmar),"
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters.

"There must be one way of looking at things. But if we start to play our
own national interest rather than looking at the whole interest of ASEAN,
that is going to be a problem," he said, without elaborating.

Syed Hamid recently called on Myanmar to free Nobel prize laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for most of the past 17
years.

Her detention comes up for review by the junta on May 27 and Syed Hamid
said it was difficult to tell if the military junta would free her.

"It is impossible to speculate what the government will do. We do not know
very much about the Myanmar government," he said.

Malaysia, a leading investor in the resource-rich country, has previously
signalled the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations is
frustrated with member Myanmar, saying the military regime had snubbed
efforts to push for democracy.

Syed Hamid said ASEAN came under international pressure whenever Aung San
Suu Kyi's supporters were detained or her arrest was extended, and called
on the military junta to be sensitive towards its Southeast Asian
neighbours.

"Every time they make new arrests or the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi
continues, not only Myanmar is questioned, the whole of ASEAN is
questioned," he said.

"I think Myanmar has to be sympathetic towards the predicament of ASEAN
countries," he added.

Syed Hamid said Aung San Suu Kyi's detention was an "issue of concern and
worry," for ASEAN, but added the group was opposed to Myanmar being
referred to the United Nations Security Council.

The United States in January introduced a draft resolution at the Security
Council urging Myanmar's rulers to initiate democratic reforms.

____________________________________

May 21, Agence France Presse
Asian lawmakers call for Suu Kyi's release

Tokyo: Lawmakers from Japan and six Southeast Asian countries called
Monday for the release of Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
days before the junta decides whether to extend her detention.

Parliamentarians interested in Myanmar from Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are meeting for two days
in Tokyo in a bid to build up pressure on the regime.

In a joint statement, they called for "the immediate release of Aung San
Suu Kyi from house arrest and the unconditional release of all political
prisoners."

The Nobel peace laureate has been under house arrest for most of the past
17 years. Her detention comes up for review Sunday.

The Tokyo conference is being attended by Sein Win, her cousin and her
movement's prime minister-in-exile.

The lawmakers also "pointed out the importance of Japan's role in the
problem of Myanmar."

Unlike Western countries, Japan has shunned sanctions against Myanmar
although last year it backed efforts to bring its human rights record
before the UN Security Council.

"Japan could be the country to host the first informal meeting of all
these factions of the crisis to work toward a resolution," said Cambodian
member of parliament Son Chhay.

"We believe very strongly that the issue of Burma is no longer an internal
problem of Burma alone," he said, using Myanmar's former name.

Myanmar has been ruled by the military government since 1962. Aung San Suu
Kyi's National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in 1990
elections, but the junta never allowed it to take office.

____________________________________

May 21, Mizzima News
Over 50 Indian law makers join call to release Suu Kyi - Mungpi

In a movement that seems to be gaining ground, over 50 Indian
parliamentarians from across the political spectrum have joined the call
for the immediate release of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu
Kyi.

The call, which came in the form of a signature campaign initiated by the
Indian Parliamentary Forum for Democracy in Burma (IPFDB), has been
endorsed by over 50 law makers, convener of the IPFDB, Robert Kharsing
told Mizzima.

"The signature campaign is a part of a series of activities that we are
launching for the release of the detained Burmese leader," Kharsing said.

The IPFDB is expecting that at least a 100 law makers will sign the
petition, calling on the military junta's Senior General Than Shwe to
immediately free Aung San Suu Kyi along with over 1,300 political
prisoners languishing in jails inside Burma, he said.

Calls for the release of Suu Kyi have been intensifying with May 27
approaching when her house arrest term will come under review.

Suu Kyi has been incarcerated for over 11 of the past 17 years, and she
was last arrested on May 30, following a murderous attack on her motorcade
by junta-backed mobs in Depayin in central-north Burma.

Earlier, over 59 former heads of state, including four former Indian Prime
Ministers, V P Singh, Chandrasheikhar, H D Devegowda and I K Gujral, have
also urged Burma's ruling junta to immediately release Suu Kyi and
kick-start political reforms.

The signature campaign also called on the Indian government to change its
stance towards Burma with a view to maintaining its democratic ideals,
Kharsing said.

"As the world's largest democracy, India should review its policy towards
Burma and act in support of democracy in the country," Kharsing added.

The IPFDB, formed in October 2005, is also set to organize a birthday
commemoration function on June 19, to mark the 62nd birthday of Burma's
detained Nobel peace laureate.

____________________________________

May 21, The Australian
India boosts its arms sales to Burma junta - Bruce Loudon

India is dramatically stepping up arms supplies to Burma's ruling military
junta in a determined bid to outmanoeuvre strongly growing Chinese
influence in the country.

A just-completed trip to Burma by India's navy chief, Admiral Sureesh
Mehta, coincided with the transfer of several medium-range maritime
reconnaissance and patrol aircraft sold to the generals in Rangoon at
so-called ''friendship prices''.

Admiral Mehta was the latest in a series of high-level officials to visit
Burma as part of a significantly intensified drive by New Delhi to gain
influence in the nation and in so doing compete against China.

India's strategy is, however, not without its problems, since the country
has long identified itself with global support for Burma's democratic
movement led by incarcerated Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

The strategy is based on New Delhi's determination not to allow Chinese
influence to expand further in the region, as well as its own
self-interest in having Burma rein in separatist rebels operating in
northeast India.

Many of the rebel groups in the northeast are based in Burma, and India
has been demanding that Rangoon take a much firmer line in suppressing
their activities.

India's complicated attitude towards Burma was also underlined last night
when it was disclosed that while it is forcefully seeking to out-do
China's growing influence, New Delhi's top soldier, Army Chief General JJ
Singh, is on an unprecedented visit to Beijing to discuss the possibility
of holding joint anti-terrorism operations with the Chinese.

During his visit, General Singh will hold talks with China's most senior
military commanders, something that has not happened previously.

Speaking before his departure, General Singh told reporters: ''Till now,
the militaries of both the nations have participated as observers in each
other's exercises, but now for enhanced co-operation, the possibility of
joint military exercises is being looked into.''

General Singh has also recently been in Rangoon, and according to last
night's reports, India is preparing to supply Burma with more aircraft,
105mm light artillery guns, T-55 tanks, naval gunboats, mortars, grenade
launchers, combat rifles and other small arms.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

May 21, Associated Press
U.N. rights chief says Suu Kyi release needed for democracy in Myanmar

Geneva: Myanmar should release Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from
house arrest if it wants to show the world it is serious about human
rights and democracy, a senior United Nations official said Monday.

Suu Kyi, who has been confined by the country's ruling junta for 11 of the
last 17 years, completes her latest detention term on Sunday. The military
has given no indication that it intends to release her from house arrest,
and the order is likely to be renewed.

U.N. High Commissioner Louise Arbour, in a statement from her office in
Geneva, said Myanmar should unconditionally release Suu Kyi and more than
1,000 other political prisoners it holds in labor camps and prisons
throughout the country.

Suu Kyi's release "would demonstrate a willingness to abide by universally
accepted human rights standards," Arbour said. "It would also, I believe,
facilitate national dialogue and free the government and the people to
focus on the need to unite the country and to allow the emergence of
democratic structures to decide on the way forward."

Suu Kyi's party won a general election in 1990, but the military junta,
which seized power in 1988, refused to recognize the result and instead
persecuted members of the pro-democracy movement. She has been held
continuously since May 2003, when her motorcade was attacked by a
pro-junta mob during a political tour in Myanmar, which is also known as
Burma.

Myanmar, one of the world's most isolated countries, has been at odds for
years with the United Nations, whose bodies have accused to southeast
Asian nation of practicing torture and forced labor, and using its armed
forces to target ethnic minorities.

The European Union and many countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia,
Singapore, Thailand and Japan, also have urged Myanmar to free Suu Kyi.

Last week U.S. President George W. Bush told the U.S. Congress that he
intended to continue U.S. economic and political sanctions against Myanmar
because of concern over what was described as the worsening repression in
the country.

The White House, in a statement, said that in recent weeks Myanmar's
generals had increased attacks on ethnic groups, arrested students and
harassed democracy activists.

____________________________________
STATEMENT

May 18, UN High Commission for Human Rights
Statement by Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Geneva: As we approach the end of the current term of detention of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, I urge the Government of Myanmar to release her and all
political prisoners in the country unconditionally. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
has been under house arrest for four years, and she has spent 11 of the
last 17 years in detention. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate is one of more
than 1,000 known political prisoners held in prisons and labor camps
throughout the country.

The release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners would
demonstrate a willingness to abide by universally accepted human rights
standards. It would also, I believe, facilitate national dialogue and free
the Government and the people to focus on the need to unite the country
and to allow the emergence of democratic structures to decide on the way
forward.

My Office stands ready to assist the Government of Myanmar in any efforts
towards democratization by addressing the complex human rights crisis
faced by the country, including the situation of political prisoners.