Countdown To Freedom

[Rinrada]

Could things finally be changing and/or ..........too soon to say

Countdown to freedom: 17 years after she was first put under house arrest, will Aung San Suu Kyi finally taste liberty?

(With thanks from Jan and Daniel in Bangers)

Jan McGirk in Bangkok and Daniel Howden

Published: 22 May 2006

The outside world has had its first direct word from Aung San Suu Kyi in nearly three years. The next week could mean everything or nothing for the imprisoned democratic leader of Burma. The Burmese junta's surprise decision to grant a senior United Nations official access to the 1991 Nobel peace laureate has revived hope she may be released....more.....>>>

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article549788.ece

[Patsycat]

She should be freed, she's not hurting anyone.

[leisurely]

Fingers crossed.

[Rinrada]

and about TIME

Campaigners Welcome UN Security Council Burma Vote

15 Sep 2006

The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed news that the United Nations Security Council has voted to hold its first formal discussion on Burma.

“This vote is a major step forward towards getting the UN to accept its responsibility to act on Burma,” said Yvette Mahon, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. ”We call on Council members to use this opportunity to turn words into action, and pass a binding resolution requiring change in Burma.”

The USA has led calls for Security Council action on Burma, with strong support from the United Kingdom. France, Denmark, Greece, Slovakia, Japan, Peru, Argentina, and Ghana are also understood to have supported Burma being placed on the Council agenda.

Nine votes are required to place items on the agenda, and the veto does not apply.

A date for the discussion has not yet been decided.

“Burma is a threat to international peace and security, as well as its own population,” said Yvette Mahon. “The US and UK governments have worked hard to get Burma on the agenda, and deserve a lot of credit for doing so.

This is case of the USA and UK acting on principle, while China and Russia are putting trade and profit before the interests of ordinary Burmese people.”....supprise supprise

The regime in Burma has consistently defied the United Nations, ignoring over a dozen calls for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release by the Secretary General, and 28 resolutions by the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Commission.

The regime has also defied repeated calls by the International Labour Organisation to end forced labour. Demands for UN Security Council intervention increased following the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2003.

The campaign was given fresh momentum following publication in September 2005 of a report – A Threat to the Peace - commissioned by former archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Czech President Vaclav Havel from global law firm DLA Piper.

The report found that Burma does fit the criteria for UNSC intervention, and called on the UNSC to pass a binding resolution requiring the restoration of democracy to Burma, and the release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Security Council held its first discussion on Burma in December 2005

[Sing_Sling]

Totally a non-Thailand topic . . . but I'm glad it's not being blocked.

It's about time she is freed . . . but for how long . . . before you know it she will be under house arrest again.

The military junta in Myanmar is no better than the murdering scum in the PRC.

[kayo]

every year we go through the emotional ups and downs with this woman.

"will she? Won`t she?"

I`d dearly like to see her freed, but I think I`ll sit and watch the proceedings before getting my hopes up again, (and have them crashing down, again)

[Rinrada]

For all of our Burma watchers... from our friends at Free B..

Hopefully will take a stroll over there next week some time and hava look didnt let me in last time ..but...

anyway......

On Monday 2nd October from 8pm-9pm, Channel 4 will be broadcasting a major

new documentary about Burma.

The programme, Dispatches - Burma's Secret War, was filmed inside Burma by an undercover journalist, and exposes the regime's mass ethnic cleansing and forced labour, and the role of the UK in funding the regime.

Please do take the time to watch the documentary. It is an excellent film.

If you live outside the UK and cannot access Channel 4, you may be able to

view it on television in your own country fairly soon. Channel 4 are selling

the documentary to TV stations in other countries.

We'll let you know if we hear of any broadcast dates.

Thank you for your support