Thu, May 14, 2009
AFP
LONDON (AFP) – Western governments lined up to condemn “disturbing” new charges brought against Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday, but there was a deafening silence in Asia.
Gordon Brown, leader of the former colonial power Britain, said the junta which has kept her under house arrest for years wanted any excuse to extend her detention while the European Union said the move could not be justified.
The United States also said it was “troubled” by the development but there was no immediate response from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the regional bloc which includes the country formerly known as Burma.
“I am deeply disturbed that Aung San Suu Kyi may be charged with breaching the terms of her detention,” Brown said in a statement.
“The Burmese regime is clearly intent on finding any pretext, no matter how tenuous, to extend her unlawful detention,” he said.
“If the 2010 elections are to have any semblance of credibility, she and all political prisoners must be freed to participate.”
The 63-year-old, who was stopped by the junta from taking power after winning elections two decades ago, has been charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest after a US man swam across a lake and hid inside her home.
She will go on trial on Monday on the charges, which carry a maximum jail term of five years and would stretch her detention past its supposed expiry date this month and through elections due in 2010.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate and her two maids appeared in court at the notorious Insein Prison near Yangon, hours after police whisked her away from the residence where she has been detained for most of the past two decades.
Piero Fassino, the European Union’s special envoy to Myanmar, said there was “no justification” for the decision to charge her.
Fassino told Italy’s Channel 5 television the international community should use “every possible means to press for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi” as well as “the 2,000 other political prisoners who are held in Burmese jails.”
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and human rights minister Rama Yade issued a joint statement condemning the arrest “in the strongest terms”.
“This decision is all the more unacceptable given the Nobel Peace laureate’s state of health which has deteriorated over the past several days,” they said.
In Norway, where Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel prize in 1991, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said he was “disturbed” by the charges and demanded her immediate release.
And in the United States, the State Department said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had asked for more information on the “troubling” developments.
“We have seen this report, which is certainly troubling if true,” spokesman Ian Kelly said.
The chorus of official condemnation in the West however was in sharp contrast to the reaction in Asia.
Calls and emails to the Jakarta secretariat of ASEAN were not immediately answered and there was no immediate official reaction from Myanmar’s eastern neighbour and ally China, nor any Asian governments.
ASEAN has long been wary of criticising Myanmar but the 10-nation club has found itself embarrassed by the regime, led by the reclusive General Than Shwe.
During an ASEAN summit in Thailand last month, Myanmar threatened to boycott a meeting with human rights advocates if a Myanmar activist was present. The activist was not allowed into the session.
At the summit, leaders urged Myanmar’s junta to move towards democracy but Aung San Suu Kyi’s name was never mentioned.
In Japan, dozens of pro-democracy campaigners rallied to demand her release.
“Free Suu Kyi!” chanted more than 60 expatriates from Myanmar in front of the country’s embassy in Tokyo, holding banners that read: “The military junta should stop oppression with its unfair trial!”
http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20090514-141534.html
——-
From U.S. Campaign for Burma group:
This morning Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Aung San Suu Kyi was moved from her Rangoon home to Burma’s notorious Insein Prison, where she will face trial on Monday for supposedly violating the terms of her house arrest by hosting an unauthorized visitor after an American man swam uninvited to her compound and refused to leave.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest continuously since 2003 and for a total of over 13 of the past 19 years. According to the State Protection Law, under which she has been held, she can be detained for a maximum of six years. This period was due to expire in less than two weeks, on May 27th, 2009. Now, the military junta is using trumped up charges stemming from the incident of the American swimmer to extend her detention. Suu Kyi was the victim, not the perpetrator, of this crime. For more information, please read USCB’s press release from earlier today.
The crime for which Aung San Suu Kyi is now being tried carries a minimum prison sentence of three years. This is a critical time for the military regime in Burma, which has faced great difficulty in gaining support for its plan to host elections based on a sham constitution in 2010. We must take action to ensure that the regime continues to feel pressure from the international community.
Take Action Now:
1.) Email UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and urge him to send his envoy to Burma and to take a stand for Aung San Suu Kyi’s security and freedom. Click here to send an email to the Secretary General.
2.) Plan a Demonstration
Burma groups around the world have called for demonstrations in support of Aung San Suu Kyi to be held at Burmese embassies on Monday, May 18th.
US Campaign for Burma has organized a demonstration in Washington, DC at 12:30pm on Monday, May 18th, in front of the Burmese military attache (2300 California St. NW, near Dupont Circle). For more information contact Mike Haack at mike@uscampaignforburma.org. If you are interested in organizing one in your home town, email Mike with the details and he will notify Burma supporters in your area.
3.) “Arrest Yourself” for Aung San Suu Kyi and Host a House Arrest Party to Educate Your Friends
Participate in Arrest Yourself 2009 and show your solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi: uscampaignforburma.org/arrestyourself2009.
Learn More:
The world is giving more and more attention to Aung San Suu Kyi’s cause. You can learn more about the regime’s detention of Aung San Suu Kyi on the news section of our website, or by reading these articles from CNN International, BBC, Al Jazeera, Agence France Presse, and Straight Times.
Thank you for taking action for Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma,
Jeremy Woodrum
Director
U.S. Campaign for Burma
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
West condemns and Asia silent…let’s us first understand who’s the one to be blamed for causing the incident an giving the junta the lame excuse and excellent justification of charging Aung San Suu Kyi?
One stupid idiot Amercian by the name of John William Yettaw!
Here’s the news report from Washington and published by ST:
WASHINGTON – THE middle-aged American blamed for landing Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in jail is said to be a Mormon father of seven and Vietnam War veteran with a quixotic world view.
The little that is known about John William Yettaw, 53, suggests the Missouri native thought he was helping Aung San Suu Kyi’s cause by swimming to her lakeside home and staying uninvited.
‘We have to blame him,’ the Nobel laureate’s chief lawyer Kyi Win said, after Myanmar’s military junta triggered global outrage by charging Aung San Suu Kyi Thursday with breaching the terms of her house arrest.
‘He is a fool,’ the lawyer said.
Yettaw took photographs of himself before his escapade, sporting home-made flippers for his swim across the lake in Yangon. He is wearing a short-sleeved shirt and looks heavy-set.
The opposition newspaper Irrawady called him a ‘stalker’ and the latest in a long line of naive Western protestors who have done more harm than good to Myanmar’s beleaguered democracy movement.
Yettaw had told exiled Myanmar groups in Thailand that he was ‘working on a faith-based book on heroism,’ it reported, and added: ‘He is simply a weird character who acted alone.’ In Washington, the US Campaign for Burma was similarly scathing.
‘He’s just some guy who didn’t really think through his plan and the consequences it would have in trying to sneak on to her property,’ the group’s advocacy director Jennifer Quigley said. ‘We are just as surprised at the turn of events as everybody else is,’ she told AFP.
The State Department in Washington said that Myanmar authorities allowed a US diplomat to attend a court hearing for Yettaw on Thursday. But while condemning the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, the department declined to make any other comment on Yettaw, who is reportedly a diabetic.
The office of powerful Democrat Ike Skelton, whose Missouri district encompasses Yettaw’s hometown in the US House of Representatives, also said it could not comment.
ASEAN is a useless organisation. Condeming the junta means interfering in their domestic politics. So it is pointless, I suggest all Burmese nationals go to Hong Lim Park to protest and support Aung San Suu Kyi.
To quote Martin Luther King, Jr:
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people. ”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
In the first place, the fact that her unwarranted house arrest lasted this long is an affront to justice. Now they have slapped on these ludicrous charges. Silence at this time is unconscionable.
STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT.
Does anyone know if Singapore has voiced any support for Aung San Suu Kyi or condemned the junta?
Yes or no?
USA, our friend and whom we depend on for economic growth, has voiced condemnation so has Thailand.
Is she considered being held without Trial? I no no leh. you know ah?
Only God knows who really instigate this fool. It is about time the west as well as USA take up the cause of Myanmar people seriously for democracy , a day lost is a generation lost. USA now has an excuse to get involve.
even UN cannot do anything. protest at embassy for what?
Ignore all the condemnation from the West, Singapore to the rescue.
G. Yeo to be dispatched immediately to Myanmar with a bunch of orchids.
Every member of the junta gets to be honoured. Does anyone doubt S’pore is not the best there is in foreplay with the Burmese junta ?
I think now we can invite Than Swe and
name a orchid after him
We guys really think that Singapore is going to condemn Aung San Suu Kyi charges? Well maybe, but what bout the orchid we name afterone of the regime leader?
No use condemning the junta. Time for swift action. The US shld execute a surgical missile strike at the Junta’s Palace to take out the rogue government led by their corrupted leaders. Same as what they did to dictators like Saddam Hussein.
ASEAN has now shown itself to be a sham and a wayang kulit love-in. All members got no balls when it comes to the final stand. Singapore is buying sand from Burma to build its IRs. I am ashamed of my own country for not having any morals above dollar sense.
No need to speak up lah, no use one,
we already sold our soul to the devil.
Meanwhile our representative governments can continue the charade of “watching with great concern” and selling the junta weapons of mass surpression.
What is happening in Myanmar had already taken place in Singapore except that SinKapore dressed it up using the legal system and created a mirage for the rest of the world . Any opposition party and members were either bankcurrupted and disqualify to stand for election. Misuse of power started right from the early days of PAP history. Co founders of PAP were sidelined and for those who set up an alternative party were imprisoned and many were written out of PAP history. SinKaporean we have a dictator dressed in democracy in words only but using communist tactics to destroy opposition and use fear mongering and “inflation” to keep the populace in control. We must stand up and send a clear message come the next GE to tell this tyrant that he had way passed his shelf life and usefulness. We do not want him around any more and he and his familee could take all his ill gotten wealth with him to live somewhere in the world.I sincerely believed we had grown up politically and willing to find another alternative leader to lead SinKapore into the 21st century. Surely we could not have the same for another 50 years?Even Malaysia is moving forward with democarcy despite all the corruption we were told. Why don’t we compare ourself with say New Zealand? The excuse in the past was we are a small island and so we could not afford this or that or else we will sink. I think we had heard all these excuses one too many time and it is about time we do the think for the old man. Let make sure he is not reelected come the next GE. That would be a clear enough message to him that he is NOT wanted any more.
Dear honor: Chairman&staff&team World Press Newspaper in Singapore Nation,hi friend nice to meet you with Budi!Budi self as best friend/strategic patnership with “W.House USA(get trust+promise+request from H.Clinton to be united with Obama at USA Democrat party while campaign the election USA President in 2008 until now,include get H.Clinton Community)+Canada PM gov/nation+Chancellor Angela Merkel(as Budi self step mother)Germany PM gov/nation+EU Nation Region Gov/nation+Julia Gillard Australia PM gov/nation+Khan Japan PM gov/nation+Lee Myun Bun S.Korea Nation President” by internet always give best advise/idea w/o make intervention policy!Budi self has been made sent information form to ” http://www.social network.com ” include make teach practice as lecture about “Social Network : make open large in clear bottom of heart&positip way mind self to many people&group in the world toward get big spirit of life+imagination+ware+care+trust+brave+concern+high positip confidence self+inovation&improvement brain skill+give positip progress way contribution to solve/survival/protection world (Tax Heaven Countryreform bill+World trade with fairness real of fact currency value money include give big attention to intellectual property right+Global Warming/Climate Change reform bill+give high tolerance to many people&group in the world w/o make discrimination about “human right+religion+tradition&culture&language+etc”+make peace on the earth/world+give positip way solidarity to many people&group in the world if can get natural disaster w/o make discrimination about “human right+religion+tradition&culture&language+etc”+etc)/human century!” Do you know about it? Budi self ex student activity Eco Fac Of ATMA JAYA CATHOLIC UNIV JAKARTA INDONESIA 1985-1989 as chairman grade 1985 BPM at BPM FE-UAJ same like part of council in EU Nation Region Parliament,not graduated consequent as young man student with trust&brave for yesterday term period;include still keep proud remember in clear bottom of heart&positip way mind self to “DR.VAN DER VICH” as lecture teach Budi&friends at classroom “International Economic” as attache trade embassy from Belgium Kingdom at Jakarta area that ATMA JAYA CATHOLIC UNIV JAKARTA INDONESIA make joint cooperation with LEUVEN CATHOLIC UNIV from Belgium Kingdom in EU Nation Region,include Budi self get “A score” from him!Budi self still wait answer get best job opportunity/really need much money to solve/survival/protection family(+Budi mother+Budi younger sister&brother at Jakarta area+Budi&Tien-wife big family)life in the world from Chancellor Angela Merkel(as Budi step mother)Germany PM gov/nation by Legal Germany Nation Justice Sup Court as soon as possible!Budi family(Budi&Tien-wife+2 boy child+2 servant at home) start since 15-12-2007 stay home(home+family car by Tien-wife buy get from workhard performance self at advertising agency office South Jakarta almost 15 years old,not from Budi self still unemployed almost 6 years old.If Budi self get best job opportunity from Chancellor Angela MerkelGermany PM gov/nation Budi family want go back to Jakarta area to stay together with Budi mother+Budi younger sister&brother by buy new family home at harmony living with calm&relax style at “PURI BOTANICAL RESIDENCE/MEGA KEBUN JERUK” member of JAKARTA SETIA BUDI building holding company by Jan Darmadi as ownership make joint cooperation with ITOCHU Co.Ltd Japan West Jakarta near Budi mother home Jakarta:Jl.Palmerah Utara 3/K6,Jakarta 11480,Indonesia.Budi self always get big headache mind self&bad feel in clear bottom of heart to follow Tien-wife stay home start since April 2005 at Citra Raya Taman Puspa,Jl.Eboni 2 Blok E2-58,Cikupa,Tangerang 15710,Indonesia until now after go out from Budi mother home Jakarta include 6 month later Tien-wife make request to close shop “Tool+Technic+Electric+Building Equipment” from Budi the late of father for yesterday term period at Budi mother home Jakarta although Budi self cann`t make pay back full money to Budi younger sister from pay debt the late of father for yesterday term period consequent as old son in Budi big family at Jakarta area still keep proud teach “Old Tradition&Culture Chinese Phylosophy”.Do you know about it?)at Citra Raya Taman Raya,Jl.Musik 9 Blok M8-22,hp.no:+6221-33517298/085717313289/087771680230/085697836780/081585323659,e`mail:budiyantosuryapati@ymail.com+tiensari@gmail.com,Cikupa,Tangerang 15710,Indonesia.Ok,see you next time Budi friend! GOD BLESS US FOREVER IN THE WORLD/AMITABHA! Best regards,Mr.Budiyanto Suryapati/Budi/Yap Tek Tiong.
Budi self give strong support moral toward “FREEDOM Aung San Suu Kyi” opposition leadership in Mynmar Nation include hope Aung San Suu Kyi can get new leadership in Mynmar(Burma)Nation as “Socialist+Democracy+Education+Give big attention to human right+Psychology+Capitalist+Smart Friendly” value inside make manage Mynmar Nation to close “ASEAN” community,also give positip progress way contribution to solve/survival/protection world/human century by time process!Plaese tell To Aung San Suu Kyi opposition leadership in Mynmar Nation that Budi self as best friend/strategic patnership with ” W.House USA+Canada PM gov/nation+Chancellor Angela Merkel(as Budi self step mother)Germany PM gov/nation+EU Nation Region Gov/nation+Julia Gillard Australia PM Gov/nation+Khan Japan PM Gov/nation+Lee Myun Bun SOUTH KOREA Nation President” give strong support moral to her toward get freedom until get back as new leadership in Mynmar Nation by time process,include Aung San Suu Kyi&team can make communication with Budi self (as lecture teach)at ” http://www.social network.com ” also Budi self very happy give positip progress way with ” Social NetworK ” to many people&group in the world w/o make discrimination about “human right+religion+tradition&culture&language+etc” toward get positip progress way contribution to solve/survival/protection world/human century by time process!Ok,see you next time Budi friend! GOD BLESS US FOREVER IN THE WORLD/AMITABHA! Best Regards,Mr.Budiyanto Suryapati/Budi/Yap Tek Tiong.