BBC: Myanmar generals sign order to release Aung San Suu Kyi

[hobanse]

If only they had more oil, then the US would have gone in to save the people from that Mad general . Like they did in Iraq .

Not enough oil and gas, no planning a pipeline and is far away from ME.

[dude007]

Best news I've heard in a long, long time. Good luck to her - I fear she is the only real hope that democracy has in that country and it is well past time that the populace was given a better deal!<br>

The Chinese are the real criminals. They don't give a dam_n about democracy and sleep with the generals. They aren't better in their own country!

[brahmburgers]

Encouraging news, but needs to be sobered up with a heaping tablespoon of Burmese reality. The generals have been and will continue to be hyper paranoid about the slightest little thing that might remotely challenge their authority. Their iron fist paranoia enables them to get their fat hands in on all big money activities involving Burma. Suu Kii is brave, yet borderline foolish if she chooses to remain residing in Burma after being set free. I have a standing offer for her: a free large and lovely house to reside in - in the peaceful suburbs of northernmost Thailand's Chiang Rai. It's walled in, off the main road, and the most serious issue in the neighborhood is whether or not to clear the brush bordering the rice paddies - yet, just 70 minutes drive from Burma.

The noble lady should give herself a break, because as long as she resides in Burma, the generals will be breathing down her neck, and looking for any slightest excuse to detain her again.

Burma is an occupied country. That the occupying generals are Burmese, matters no more nor less than if the generals were Zimbabwean or Senegalese or North Korean - as far as decency towards the populace is concerned.

Vlad the Impaler was Romanian, but that didn't keep him from inflicting severe misery upon his fellow citizens.

[george]

Supporters prepare for Suu Kyi’s release

An ally of prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said an order for her release had been signed by Burma’s ruling generals, as hundreds of supporters gathered yesterday at her political party’s headฌquarters and near her residence.

Suu Kyi’s house arrest officially ends today, but rumours swept Rangoon that she might be freed as early as yesterday. Riot police with assault rifles were seen near her house as about 200 supporters gathered at a nearby barbedwire barricade.

Jailed or under house arrest for more than 15 of the past 21 years, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate has become a symbol for a struggle to rid the country of decades of military rule.

“My sources tell me that the release order has been signed,” said Tin Oo, vice chairman of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD). “I hope she will be released,” he said, not confirming when she would be freed or when the order had been signed.

About 300 people gathered excitedly at the NLD headquarters, some wearing Tshirts reading, “We stand with you.”

“There is no law to hold [suu Kyi] for another day. Her detention period expires on Saturday and she will be released,” said her lawyer, Nyan Win.

The country held its first elections in two decades last Sunday in what the junta called a major step towards democracy, but Suu Kyi was barred from participating and critics called the balloting a sham aimed at cementing the military’s power.

State media announced on Thursday that the projunta political party had secured a majority in both houses of Parliament.

The partial results showed the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) had won 190 of 219 constituencies reported in the 330seat Lower House and 95 of 107 seats in the 168seat Upper House.

Top members of the ruling junta were among those who won seats, including Prime Minister Thein Sein, who also heads the USDP.

The victory is a clear sign that the military, in civilian guise, will continue to control the country for the foreseeable future.

If released, Suu Kyi, 65, plans to help her disbanded party investigate allegations of election fraud, said Nyan Win, who is also a spokesman for the NLD.

Reentering politics, especially in a manner that would embarrass the junta, poses the sort of chalฌlenge the military has met in the past by detaining Suu Kyi. While her NLD was disbanded because it refused to participate in the elections, it remains enormously popular as a social movement.

The NLD’s dilapidated headquarters in Rangoon has been bustling with party members cleaning her onetime office and changing the curtains.

Nyan Win said Suu Kyi would meet with NLD’s central committee, members of the media and the public after she is allowed to step out of her lakeฌside villa. He noted that after previous periods of detention, she always visited the Shwedagon pagoda, one of Burma’s most scared sites.

More than 25 NLD members are planning to donate blood at hospitals as a gesture of welcome for her.

Suu Kyi’s current detention began in May 2003 after her motorcade was ambushed in northern Burma by a governmentbacked mob. The detention period was extended this August when a court convicted her of briefly sheltering an American intruder who came to her house uninvited.

-- The Nation 2010-11-12

[newermonkey]

It is always good news when someones freedom is improved but its totally useless for her cause.

Such a shame Thailands goverment is keeping the generals rich in natural gas payments, turns my stomach when cooking with "blood gas"

[saanya]

Don't b so quick to be sucked in by any of this. It's a trick at best and a tragedy at worst. mark my words.

[notime]

Great news? Are they really letting her to go and to mount an opposition? I doubt this very much and I'm VERY afraid about Her safety and well-being. I suspect the generals have a secret plan and maybe after few days, or weeks something is planned to happen to Her. I really hope not and wish Her all the best but somehow Burma doesn't look to me at similar stage as South Africa was when they were releasing Mandela. So if they (generals) didn't have a secret plan why are they releasing her? Because "there is no law to hold her any longer"? This is a nonsensical argument as there was no law to hold her for 20 years really but they did. They are the law in Burma. Whatever is going to happen I wish Her all the best and pray for God protect Her and give Her POWER.

[surayu]

Time to celebrate

[Rinrada]

If only they had more oil, then the US would have gone in to save the people from that Mad general . Like they did in Iraq .

Not enough oil and gas, no planning a pipeline and is far away from ME.

On the contrary it was respectable "DIRTY" Western O&G companies like Chevron and Toatal (with many others)who have maintained the income for the Mad Generals over the last 20 odd years ....full of excuses about helping the locals....they are the real sods...or rather in US terms SOBs.....

Too many backhanders to OUR even dirtier pole-cats ....Governments....."kippers" ...2 faced Bsts with NO Guts

[ding]

Great news! I wonder if she'd consider running for President of the US? She's a figure that will live forever in history, and with honor.

Mandella

Ghandi

King

Aung San Suu Kyi

The power-holders who repress these types are excrement in perpetuity.

[yellow1red1]

Too bad Thailand doesn't have a few like her!

[Sailfish1]

The US spends trillions of dollars and kills millions of people invading Iraq, Afghanistan, and interfering in the affairs of untold numbers of countries. Surely the US can pressure the Myanmar generals to release Aung San Suu Kyi. Why can't the US do something about the lack of Democracy in Myanmar??? Is it because there is no oil in Myanmar and there is little chance of large arm sales in that area??

[bdenner]

Don't b so quick to be sucked in by any of this. It's a trick at best and a tragedy at worst. mark my words.

Very close to the point. She'll be banged up again as soon as the so called election calamity goes away.

[IvanDobsky]

and apart from that, this is so unimportant at this stage. better to work for the people in the country so they can decide by themselves one day which name they prefer.

They would like to decide what name to use but weren't consulted by the Junta when it was changed. When I was last there in 2004, Burmese people still called their country Burma, monks explained the oppression, political discussion was avoided in public places through fear of arrest, people spoke in hushed tones of Suu Kyi and most up country were not even aware that she was under house arrest.

Try to visit Depayin. It would be interesting to know if they allow westerners to the site of the 2003 massacre now or not.

[asiawatcher]

Step 1 - lock up beloved believer in democracy

Step 2 - steal first election in two decades by absurd margins

Step 3 - deflect international criticism of election by releasing beloved symbol of freedom

Step 4 - rearrest beloved symbol on trumped up charges

or - arrange for tragic car accident

Step 5 - continue to pillage country

And never was there a truer summary. I would not even give her a year before she has some tragedy befall her. Sad but life is so cheap in Burma, even at the top.

[Xangsamhua]

Maybe she'd like to go abroad to visit her sons, stripped of their Burmese citizenship in 1989.

[templedog]

China, Thailand, and other ASEAN nations are benefiting from Myanmar's brutal dictatorship.

Why don't the neighboring countries do anything real to help? It's all talk, no action.

China and Myanmar..............USA and Israel................get it?

If the USA were benefiting as much from Myanmar's junta, you wouldn't here a peep from them either.

Myanmar must, and has to change from within. The world is a lot different place today

than it was even just 10 years ago. The global power elite's greatest fear is that the lower classes

will finally rise up........again........ for equality, a piece of the pie. As time goes on and we all become

addicted to BlackBerries and ipods and Starbucks and Nikes and..............desire..............Burma will

never change. Plant your own garden.

[thaiedward]

I see things a little different - and I just came back from Myanmar less than 2 months ago and know a lot of people there in all parts of the country.

many people who comment on Myanmar (I am not talking about Thaivisa specifically) issues have actually no clue what they are talking about and most of them have never been there anyway, nor do they know about the general conditions and the situation there.

Back to the topic, Aung Sun Suu Kyi actually is an ICON.

not more, not less. she is an ICON of the democracy-movement.

but she is a political lightweight, despite her prominent father.

do you really think she could lead a government or unite the many opposition splinter-group and ethnic interests ? you must be kidding !

things have changed a lot since she disappeared from public life due to the house-arrest.

thank's god, the people in Myanmar see things a bit more realistic. they welcome any change, but they are as well aware that things must happen SLOWLY, otherwise the country can easily get into an even bigger mess and misery.

In my opinion, it was a mistake to boycott the election, even it was of course 100% clear it would be a sham. but even if some opposition groups had won only a FEW seats, they would still have a VOICE at least ! now they have nothing.

some opposition parties participated in the elections (and NO; they are NOT friends of the Junta), and they got at least FEW seats, even the Junta made it VERY difficult for them to nominate candidates, as the fee for that was ridiculously high (think of a years salary to nominate one candidate or so)

anyway, ANY changes in this country with its lovely and friendly people can only be welcomed.

If only the Western governments would pay more attention......

Thank you for your kindly-posted message which has answered several of my wonders.

It is my hope that we'll see more essays delivered from the likes of you.

Kind regards.

[george]

BREAKING NEWS:

Myanmar democracy icon Suu Kyi released

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