Happy Birthday Suu Kyi

The Youth Wing of Peoples Justice Party (KeADILan) would like to call the immediate and unconditional release of Nobel Laureate Daw Aung Sann Suu Kyi on the occasion of her 61st Birthday.

KeADILan condems the extension of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s house arrest by another six months.

This coming 24 October 2006, she will mark a total of 11 years in detention.

The call also include NLD’s General Secretary, and U Tin Oo, National League for Democracy (NLD)’s Vice Chairman. U Tin Oo’s house arrest also has been extended by another year.

The military authorities are determined to make their lives as difficult as possible. On 16 December 2004, despite assurances by the junta that arrangements would not be changes, Suu Kyi’s access to her doctor was cut from three visits a week to one, while her personal NLD security detail was cut from 13 to six.

Political arrests, detentions and trials have continued throughout the last 22 months. Members of the NLD have been routinely targeted by the junta, solely in their peaceful political activities. Since 1 November 2004, SPDC authorities have arrested 62 NLD members, including three MPs.


Conditions of detention

Prison conditions in Burma continue to be poor, and prisoners continue to be denied necessary medical treatment and an adequate diet.

At the end of September 2005, a serious cholera outbreak in Thawardy Prison, north of Rangoon, resulted in the death of more than 40 inmates, including a political prisoner, Arakan Communist Party member Aung Yet Khaing, who had been detained since 1986.

Between December 2005 and January 2006 another cholera outbreak in Akyab Prison, in Arakan State, killed at least 12 prisoners.

Both outbreaks reportedly originated from soiled food supplies with bad sanitary conditions within the prison.

Corporal punishment, shackling, solitary confinement in darkened cells, food and water deprivation and other forms of ill-treatment have continued to be regularly used by SPDC authorities against political prisoners in prisons across Burma.

Besides that, there have also been seven reported cases of political prisoners who have died in custody between May 2005 and January 2005.

Custodial deaths also involved military intelligence agents who had been jailed following the purge of former Prime Minster Kin Nyunt.

We also urge the United Nations, to act without favour or fear, and bring the sufferings of the people of Burma to the tables of the UN Security Council.


Release of peaceful protestors

The Youth Wing of keADILan were understood that out of 82 Burmese arrested for protesting in front of South Korean Embassy last 18 April 2006, two were still detained in the detention camp.

The Malaysian police acted brutally on that occasion by arresting 82 Burmese who protested against the Shwe natural gas project in Arakan States of Burma.

We call on the police to respect the right to peaceful assembly and immediately release all the detainees.


Deportation of Refugees

The Youth Wing is also extremely concern over the deportation of Rohingya refugees to Burma. Many Rohingyas have been deported back to Burma via Thailand in spite of the government giving statements of recognition to these refugees, once approved by the UNHCR.

The deportation to Thailand where they are then arrested by the Thai authorities were sent back to Burma with absolutely no concern for their safety. The persecution will materialize in Burma and threaten their lives.

The Rohingyans were brought to the court and charged with illegal moving through borders within Burma and then on to Thailand without proper documents. They were later convicted and sentenced to seven years in jail.

The agreement of the refugees to be deported not because of ‘voluntariy’ but could no longer live under the horrific conditions in the detention camp of poor food, illness and lack of medical treatment.

Some refugees detained at Semenyih Camp were incarcerated for up to three years and could not continue to be in these conditions and so were left with no other choice but seek deportation.


The Youth Wing demands:

1. Release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.

2. Recognize Burma’s 1990 election and maintain the people’s choice of government.

3. Allow all UN and international organizations visit Aung San Suu Kyi.

4. ASEAN to withdraw Burma’s membership as the latter failed to hold its promise to be more openness and democracy. However, they have proven to be empty promises. Even when ASEAN made moves to deny Burma's turn as the chair of ASEAN in 2007, the junta has not made amends.


5. Release all Burmese refugees currently held in detention camps and close all detention camps which are proven failed to provide minimum standards.

6. Respect the right to peaceful assembly and immediately release all the detainees who were practicing their rights to assemble.

You are cordially invited to join the Aung Sann Suu Kyi's 61st Birthday commemorative ceremony and exhibition on 18th June 2006 (Sunday) 12 noon to 5 pm at Chinese Assembly Hall, Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur.

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