Suu Kyi Kept Out in the Cold
Announcement by Burma's military junta of a "roadmap to democracy" will be meaningless unless Aung San Suu Kyi and 1,400 other political prisoners are released, the international community said.
The announcement by Burma's military junta of a "roadmap to democracy" to begin on May 17 will be meaningless unless the jailed pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and 1,400 other political prisoners are released and allowed to participate, the international community said yesterday.
The ruling State Peace and Development Council announced the reconvening of a constitutional convention, but did not mention Ms Suu Kyi or her National League for Democracy. It was the NLD's refusal to allow the military to dominate the political arena that scuppered the last convention in 1996.
Ms Suu Kyi and scores of her senior lieutenants were detained last May following an attack on an NLD convoy that left dozens dead, according to witnesses. Many of the detainees have since been moved to house arrest but are not free to communicate.
The United States, Japan and Amnesty International led the demands for the participation of all political interests.
The US state department spokesman Richard Boucher said: "For any kind of constitutional convention to be successful, the political opposition and ethnic groups must support it and they must be involved in preparations for it. They would need to be full participants in a convention that allows for free exchange of views."
The ruling State Peace and Development Council announced the reconvening of a constitutional convention, but did not mention Ms Suu Kyi or her National League for Democracy. It was the NLD's refusal to allow the military to dominate the political arena that scuppered the last convention in 1996.
Ms Suu Kyi and scores of her senior lieutenants were detained last May following an attack on an NLD convoy that left dozens dead, according to witnesses. Many of the detainees have since been moved to house arrest but are not free to communicate.
The United States, Japan and Amnesty International led the demands for the participation of all political interests.
The US state department spokesman Richard Boucher said: "For any kind of constitutional convention to be successful, the political opposition and ethnic groups must support it and they must be involved in preparations for it. They would need to be full participants in a convention that allows for free exchange of views."
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