Myanmar Says Suu Kyi is freed from house arrest

Suu Kyi arrives at party HQ after Myanmar junta lifts house arrest

Suu Kyi release seen boosting ASEAN-EU ties

Myanmar Says Suu Kyi is freed from house arrest

By Andrew Marshall

Monday May 6, 8:03 AM

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government said on Monday it had freed Nobel laureate and pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi after 19 months of house arrest, in a breakthrough after more than a decade of political stalemate.

"As of today, she is at liberty to carry out all activities, including her party's," a government spokesman told Reuters. Opposition sources said Suu Kyi was expected to speak to the media later on Monday.

The 56-year-old Nobel peace laureate has been confined to her home with her telephone line cut since September 2000 after trying to defy a government ban on travel outside the capital.

Her release has been among the top demands of the international community, which has isolated Myanmar and imposed economic sanctions on the impoverished country in a bid to force political change.

Suu Kyi has spent years under house arrest since emerging as a leader of Myanmar's democracy movement in 1988 after the military bloodily suppressed anti-government protests. The military has ruled the country since a 1962 coup.

Suu Kyi was confined to her house from 1989 to 1995, and her release then was marked by jubilant scenes as crowds thronged the street outside her residence.

Diplomats say the junta wants to avoid this happening again, and that Suu Kyi may have agreed to keep a low profile in the days following her release.

An official at DCI Group, a U.S. publicity firm representing the Myanmar government in Washington, said a media conference would be held at 10 a.m. (0330 GMT) local time.

RELEASES TO CONTINUE

In a statement faxed to Reuters by DCI, the military government said it would continue to release detainees, without mentioning Suu Kyi by name.

"We have released nearly 600 detainees in recent months and shall continue to release those who will cause no harm to the community nor threaten the existing peace, stability and unity of the nation," the statement said.

The government said it would work towards establishing a democracy and would cooperate with other countries to fight terrorism, drug trafficking and AIDS.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is regarded by many in the international community as Myanmar's legitimate government. It won the country's last elections in 1990 by a landslide, stunning the junta, which refused to hand over power.

The ruling generals began secretive talks with Suu Kyi in October 2000, saying they wanted to find common ground to break the political deadlock.

The military insists it is committed to bringing democracy to Myanmar, but says that moving too fast would risk the disintegration of the multi-ethnic country.

STATEMENT EXPECTED LATER

At the NLD's headquarters, a dilapidated building in central Yangon, activists have been preparing for Suu Kyi's release, cleaning their offices and installing air conditioning. Party sources said Suu Kyi was expected to come to the headquarters later on Monday to make a statement.

The United States said last week it would welcome freedom for Suu Kyi -- the daughter of Myanmar's 1940s independence hero Aung San -- but told the junta her release must be unconditional and would not automatically lead to a lifting of sanctions.

Neither the White House or the State Department had any immediate comment on the release.

The World Bank, which closed its loan programmes with Myanmar in 1995 because of its government policies, was not immediately available for comment.

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Suu Kyi arrives at party HQ after Myanmar junta lifts house arrest

YANGON, May 6 (AFP) - Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrived at her party's headquarters Monday after the military government released her from 19 months under house arrest, an AFP reporter saw.

More than 300 jubilant National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters let out a great roar as her car approached the building, and in the crush it took several minutes for her to be able to alight from the vehicle.

As the 56-year-old Nobel peace laureate was ushered into the building, she made no comment. She was expected to meet the NLD's decision-making Central Executive Committee before holding a press conference.

Hundreds of party members had begun clapping and cheering minutes before Aung San Suu Kyi arrived by car from her house on University Drive, forming an honour guard along the pavement.

All were dressed in their best clothes, with men sporting smart versions of the traditional longyi, or sarong, while the women wore their hair swept up into chignons adorned with flowers.

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Aung San Suu Kyi news conference

source : AFP,Reuters

YANGON, May 6 - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Monday her release from house arrest was unconditional and that the military junta would allow her to travel wherever she wishes.

"There are no restrictions to my movement, I can go anywhere I want," she told reporters at the headquarters of her National League for Democracy (NLD) after being freed from 19 months under detention at her Yangon home.

"I hope to be able to cary out all my duties for my party and my country in the best possible way."

However, the Nobel peace laureate indicated she would display restraint towards the junta with which she has been engaged in confidence-building contacts that began in October 2000.

"I certainly have a wish to travel but it's a little bit too early yet," she said when asked when she would begin moving around the country.

After being released from a six-year stretch under house arrest in 1995, the democracy leader was largely confined to the capital Yangon.The latest restrictions were slapped down after she attempted to travel to the northern city of Mandalay on party business.

There were concerns this week among top NLD officials and Western governments that her release from the latest stint under house arrest would only return her to the conditions she endured after 1995.

"The phase of confidence-building is over and we look forward to moving ahead," she told reporters at the headquarters of her National League for Democracy (NLD).

But she said the two sides had not yet addressed issues such as the constitution and the economy."The next step will be to move on those policy matters," she added.

''It's a new dawn for the country ... we only hope the dawn will move very quickly,'' Suu Kyi told a news conference at her party headquarters.''As secretary general of the party I must do everything I can to make sure that democracy comes to Burma,'' said Suu Kyi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. ''We look forward to moving on,'' she said.

She said the next step in her negotiations with the government would be to discuss policy matters, but declined to elaborate. She denied reports that she has agreed to accept a role in the military government by taking charge of health and education.

She said the National League for Democracy will continue to call for international sanctions and a ban on aid until democracy returns.

In a written statement, the government said Monday would mark ''a new page for the people of Myanmar and the international community.''

The statement, without mentioning Suu Kyi, said: ''We shall recommit ourselves to allowing all of our citizens to participate freely in the life of our political process.''

"My release should not be looked at as a major breakthrough for democracy. For all people in Burma to enjoy basic freedom - that would be the major breakthrough," she said.

Asked when she believed democracy would come to her homeland, she replied: "I hope not in too many more years."

"I'm very grateful for the role that the UN has played and for what Mr Razali has done. I am cautiously optimistic," Aung San Suu Kyi said.

"Most of the changes over the past 18 months have benefited the NLD, but it is not for the NLD but for the people of Burma that we are struggling for freedom.

"We have been disappointed at the slow pace of release of political prisoners. The releases are important, not only in humanitarian terms but political terms as well."

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Suu Kyi release seen boosting ASEAN-EU ties

MANILA, May 6 - The release from house arrest of Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi opens the way for closer cooperation between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its Western allies, Philippine officials said on Monday. Myanmar is a member of ASEAN.

''It will be good for ASEAN because the EU (European Union) and other dialogue partners will be able to interact with us. Human rights will be at the backburner in our talks,'' Philippine foreign undersecretary Lauro Baja told reporters.

Setting up high level ASEAN and EU meetings have been hampered in the past by European objections to the presence of Myanmar, Philippine diplomats said.

EU and ASEAN's other Western dialogue partners, including the United States, have criticised the human rights record of Myanmar's ruling junta and have imposed economic sanctions on the country. The United States and the European Union also deny Yangon some aid and restrict the issue of visas to Myanmar officials.

Baja said the easing Suu Kyi's restrictions should also pave the way for holding a meeting of ASEAN and EU foreign ministers. ''It is good for democracy because SPDC will be seen now as tacitly recognising the will of the people,'' Baja added, referring to the State Peace and Development Council, or Myanmar's ruling junta.

Suu Kyi was released by military authorities earlier on Monday from 19 months of house arrest. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

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Activists welcome Burma release

Source : BBC

Two Britons who were jailed in Burma for pro-democracy protests have cautiously welcomed the release of leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Human rights activist James Mawdsley was sentenced to 17 years in jail for distributing pro-democracy leaflets. And Rachel Goldwyn, of London, was freed two-and-half years ago after serving two months of a seven-year sentence for singing a pro-democracy song.

Mr Mawdsley, who has just returned from his latest visit to Burma, told BBC News Online that the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest by the military government was an important step towards democracy. "Everyone welcomes this move," he said. "It is the right thing for Burma but it is by no means a reason to relax pressure on the regime.

Determination

"There may be a sense that the army is losing morale but there are areas where repression remains savage."

But the 29-year-old charity worker, now living in London, is optimistic about the country's future. "I am more and more encouraged by the strength of the Burmese people. They will win their democracy," he said.

He added that Aung San Suu Kyi's release proved that the European Union and the British Government's support of elected representatives was working.

Mr Mawdsley was only freed after spending 416 days in solitary confinement in Burma two years ago. Having suffered at the hands of the regime, he said its actions could never be "taken at face value".

Ms Goldwyn echoed his cautious sentiments. The development studies masters student said she hoped the pro-democracy leader's release would be more than a gesture.

Ongoing dialogue

"It's wonderful for her, wonderful for her family and for the future of the country," she said. But she added: "I don't want to throw cold water on the news but we do need to approach it with caution."

Aung San Suu Kyi had been released from house arrest before but was then stopped from organising politically or meeting with her followers. She was again placed under house arrest in 2000, when she tried to travel by train to Mandalay in defiance of restrictions put on her.

Ms Goldwyn said the leader's release needed to be "followed through" with further action by the government. "There is a dialogue process. I hope this is an important step in this dialogue process. "There are still 2,500 political prisoners inside Burma. "They must be released for it to be seen as a serious effort."

Sanction threat

She believes that the potential US ban on all Burmese imports had spurred on Burma's military government to engage in talks from late 2000.

She is concerned the release of the Nobel Peace Prize winner may not be more than a "conciliatory gesture". But the impact on the morale of political prisoners could not be underestimated, she said.

"They are suffering appalling conditions. When the message gets through it's very important."

Ms Goldwyn, 30, a graduate of the London School of Economics, was jailed for singing a pro-democracy song in the Burmese capital, Rangoon. As a foreigner her situation was different but she was convinced that prisoners would hear about the release.

"This release is important not only to prisoners but to all the country," she said. She personally had no plans to return to Burma at present.

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Daily News- May 06- 2002- Monday