Sein Win (Mizzima News)
June 5, 2003

Following on six days of calls for the release by the military junta of
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, India carefully responded
to its neighbouring country to the East.

At a regular press briefing today, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman
Navtej Sarna stated, " We are watching the situation in Myanmar
carefully".

Pro-government thugs attacked National League for Democracy leader Mrs.
Suu Kyi and other leaders when she was on a political tour of Northern
Burma last Friday. Reportedly, Mrs. Suu Kyi was injured seriously on
head and shoulder while NLD vice-chairman Tin Oo is missing.

"India has been consistently supporting the restoration of democracy in
Myanmar and had welcomed the lifting of restrictions on Suu Kyi."

Moreover, he added, "Solutions to internal problems must come from
within.

Many political parties in India have expressed their concern regarding
the regime's massive crackdown on pro-democracy activists and have
voiced growing demands towards the Government of India to put pressure on
Burma.

A major opposition party, the India Congress Party, expressed its
concern regarding the situation in Myanmar and called for the immediate
release of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said party's
spokesperson Annand Sharma in briefing at the party's office in 24, Akbar
Road.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India
(India), the Samada Wardi Party, the Forward Block and the Samata Party
too have called for Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate release.

In Kuala Lumpur, U.N. Special Envoy Razali Ismail, who has endeavored
to bring about national reconciliation talks in Burma, expressed his
support for joint pressure on the junta by India, China, Japan and United
States. Mr. Razali demanded that he be allowed to see the detained
opposition leader when he visits Burma from next Friday.

"What's clear is that the regional actors must begin to play a role or
they are not going to get the job done. There are ample opportunities
to do this", said Mr. Razali in an interview with Reuters.

In United State, lawmakers are putting in place sanctions against the
Burmese military regime, including sanctions on imports from Burma.

Many Western countries, including Britain, Norway, Canada, Australia,
Germany, and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also called for Aung San
Suu Kyi's release but Burma's Asian neighnbours and the ASEAN countries
continue to stick to their policy of ''constructive engagement" policy.

India gave Aung San Suu Kyi the country's most prestigious award, the
Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Peace and Understanding, in 1995