Myanmar To Release Suu Kyi Days After Election

[george]

Myanmar to release Suu Kyi days after election: officials

YANGON, September 30, 2010 (AFP) - Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi will be released in November just days after Myanmar's first election in two decades, officials said Thursday.

The Nobel Peace laureate, who has been detained for most of the last twenty years since winning the country's last poll in 1990, will be freed when her current house arrest expires on November 13, the unnamed sources said.

"November will be an important and busy month for us because of the election and because of Aung San Suu Kyi's release," a Myanmar official told AFP, noting the release would come soon after the country's November 7 vote.

A second Myanmar official, who also declined to be named, confirmed the date, adding "she will be released on that day according to the law."

Neither Suu Kyi nor her National League for Democracy (NLD) party will participate in the upcoming vote, which opponents have dismissed as a sham aimed at hiding military power behind a civilian facade.

Uncertainty over whether the military regime will indeed release the 65-year-old, known reverently among Myanmar's people as "The Lady", will remain until the moment she appears in public.

The junta, humiliated by its crashing defeat in the last election, has prolonged Suu Kyi's confinement almost continuously ever since.

She has been detained since May 2003 and has only enjoyed fleeting periods of freedom since 1990.

Thailand-based analyst Aung Naing Oo said any release would come with conditions and she "won't be free to go out".

"It's a military dictatorship. No matter what the legal background of the issue -- if they don't want to release her, she won't be released," he said. "I'll believe it when I see it".

Suu Kyi's current spell of detention stems from her imprisonment in May last year -- just days before a previous period of house arrest came to an end -- due to a bizarre incident in which an American swam to her lakeside home.

She was initially given three years in jail and hard labour but was returned to her crumbling family home in August 2009 after her sentence was commuted to one and a half years' house arrest by junta leader Than Shwe.

Suu Kyi's lawyer Nyan Win said the period of detention started with her imprisonment on May 14 and authorities would have to release her in November because "there is no law to extend her house arrest".

"So far we have no plan in advance for her release date. We will do and follow whatever she asks for. We are waiting for that day," Nyan Win added.

Government mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar recently warned an unnamed party -- thought to be the NLD -- to drop protests against its dissolution, and threatened jail for anyone impeding the upcoming vote.

The party was disbanded after it opted to boycott the election in response to rules barring serving prisoners -- like Suu Kyi and other members -- from standing.

A UN ministerial group has said that the election will not be credible unless military rulers release Suu Kyi and other opposition detainees.

But on Tuesday Myanmar's foreign minister Nyan Win rejected international criticism, insisting that the junta is committed to a "free and fair" vote.

Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962 and the generals have stacked the cards in their favour for the poll.

A new constitution, which comes into force with the election, ring-fences a quarter of the legislature for the army, while junta-friendly parties are seen as having a major advantage in the contest for the remaining seats.

Opposition parties face formidable hurdles, including a fee of 500 dollars per candidate -- the equivalent of several months' wages for most people.

The National Democratic Force (NDF), a breakaway opposition party created by former NLD members, is among those planning to contest the vote, a decision that put it at odds with Suu Kyi, who favoured a boycott.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-09-30

[gotlost]

I'll believe this when I see it. They should release her now.

[ratcatcher]

I'll believe this when I see it. They should release her now.

I totally agree, but under the circumstances they've made a statement as opposed to a commitment and we can only hope that The Lady is freed in November. If the Burmese don't want her maybe she could come over here and run Thailand. Probably do a better job than the men who have done so and continue to. IMHO :jap:

[organic]

They probably view their grip on the country as being so effective now that neither she nor anyone else will be able to do anything about it. Wouldn't be surprised if her release is also bound up with all sorts of onerous conditions.

[phazey]

She'll be out for a week, then put away again "for her own safety". Mind you, it's dam_n convenient when University Avenue is open though, so fingers crossed!

[Xircal]

Some idiot with good intentions will swim across the lake to her house again no doubt and get her 'confined to quarters' once more.

[siampolee]

You can all call me,, ''an old cynic. or possibly a realist. ''

But does the statement from the current powers that be in Myanmar concerning Aung San Suu Kyi's release indicate that the election results are already in and counted ?

Truth is stranger than fiction or possibly in this case fiction is stranger than the truth.

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.

Winston Churchill

Edited September 30, 2010 by siampolee

[domprz]

The junta will say "Look. We've had elections. We've freed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. So lift the sanctions now."

They live on another planet. Let's hope they allow people not to vote. Each non-vote will be one for NLD and The Lady.

[george]

Burma to free Suu Kyi: reports

Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained for most of the last 20 years since winning the country's last general election.

ABC News online reported that Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi will be released just days after Burma's first election in two decades, officials said on Thursday.

The Nobel Peace laureate, who has been detained for most of the last 20 years since winning the country's last general election, will be freed when her current term of house arrest expires on November 13, the unnamed sources said.

"November will be an important and busy month for us because of the election and because of Aung San Suu Kyi's release," a Burmese official said, noting the release would come soon after the country's November 7 poll.

-- The Nation 2010-09-30

[asiawatcher]

Now if we can just keep the religious freaks from the US from swimming the lake to save her again - she may enjoy a few days out of her own solitary house arrest until they find another ploy to arrest her and charge her over - like the pidgeon just shat on a generals head thus must have been trained by Suu Kyi and hand down a 15 years hard labour and further detention. Frickin' Burma and its military junta, what a dogs breakfast!

[LaoPo]

If they really free Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi it's because they no longer fear for her power and support and feel themselves safe in their luxury, gated and heavily guarded villas/estates near Naypyidaw (the so called new capital of Myanmar), upcountry with tunnels into the mountains, created and built by the North Koreans...tunnels to escape, just in case.

Here are the villas of the leaders of Burma, their families and puppets-on-the-strings...the largest one is from General and leader (as well as former Post delivery man) Than Shwe

http://maps.google.n...011179&t=h&z=17

Further west are all the government buildings and ministeries

http://maps.google.n...030534&t=h&z=16

LaoPo

[BSJ]

It's sad that a handful of despots can treat a person like this. Playing psychological games can be as damaging as physical punishment. What a bunch of bar-steds.

[Spee]

That article just broke the needle on my bullshit detector. I'll believe it when I see it. Even still, it's a long way to atonement for decades of government abuse of the Myanmar citizenry.

[Traxster]

And whatever happened to that American idiot scumbag ?

last I heard he was back home in America walking around ,free as a bird.

And what was his price ??

[SomTumTiger]

Feel sorry for the people who have to put up with that repressive regime.

[siamtexan]

it matters zero the actual winner, they each are linked (in chains) to the military junta. hence the reason for the widespread boycott by those respected in and outside Burma

[bikersiam]

And whatever happened to that American idiot scumbag ?

last I heard he was back home in America walking around ,free as a bird.

And what was his price ??

don't be so rude when talking of our Great brothers of the stars and strips

[richard10365]

And whatever happened to that American idiot scumbag ?

last I heard he was back home in America walking around ,free as a bird.

And what was his price ??

don't be so rude when talking of our Great brothers of the stars and strips

Not everyone is great there.

[harveyBKK]

And whatever happened to that American idiot scumbag ?

last I heard he was back home in America walking around ,free as a bird.

And what was his price ??

don't be so rude when talking of our Great brothers of the stars and strips

Not everyone is great there.

we're still the only thing holding the entire crazed world back for places like Australia and England, weak dollar, slow economy, bad foreign relations and all. so watch it.

[lee68]

you guys think you rule the world.wake up!

And whatever happened to that American idiot scumbag ?

last I heard he was back home in America walking around ,free as a bird.

And what was his price ??

don't be so rude when talking of our Great brothers of the stars and strips

Not everyone is great there.

we're still the only thing holding the entire crazed world back for places like Australia and England, weak dollar, slow economy, bad foreign relations and all. so watch it.

[Bolo]

And whatever happened to that American idiot scumbag ?

last I heard he was back home in America walking around ,free as a bird.

And what was his price ??

So you think she would have been released prior to elections even without that incident? Of course not.

[chantorn]

Good luck ASSK.

[richard10365]

And whatever happened to that American idiot scumbag ?

last I heard he was back home in America walking around ,free as a bird.

And what was his price ??

don't be so rude when talking of our Great brothers of the stars and strips

Not everyone is great there.

we're still the only thing holding the entire crazed world back for places like Australia and England, weak dollar, slow economy, bad foreign relations and all. so watch it.

Is this a joke?