Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
Bangkok, June 16, 2003

Over one hundred Burmese democracy activists today demonstrated in
front of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok, demanding the immediate release
by the military junta of Burmese democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
This is reportedly the biggest Burmese demonstration held in Thailand
this year.

Since the bloody incident on the 30th of May in Dipeyin, northern
Burma, when Suu Kyi and hundreds of her NLD colleagues were attacked by
government backed forces, Burmese students have been constantly
demonstrating in front of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok. They are demanding the immediate release of both the Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung Suu Kyi, and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy,
retired General U Tin Oo, along with all the other NLD members who have been
detained since the Dipeyin massacre.

Their demands have been made with such slogans as; "immediate release -
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi”, “re-open immediately-NLD offices”, and “initiate peoples uprising".

The Democratic Alliances of Burma, an alliance of anti-Rangoon forces,
released a declaration dated June 16, demanding that the Burmese
Military regime hand over power to people’s representatives by the 30th July
this year. If a handover does not occur by this deadline, the DAB have
vowed to immediately organize a people's uprising against military
rule, and they will be seeking U.S and International Community forces to
assist in bringing down the brutal military junta.

It is reported that demonstrations shall be held continuously in front
of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok. The demonstrators have pledged to
be particularly vocal on the 19th June in commemoration of the 58th
Birth Anniversary of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and Burmese women's day.

The demonstrations have been attended by unaffiliated Burmese people of
Arakan, Mon, Kaya, Chin, and Karen nationalities who are working in
Thailand, along with representatives from various organisations such as
the Overseas Nationalities Students Organization of Burma (ONSOB), the
All Burmese Basic Education Students Union (ABBESU), the Overseas Mon
Nationalities Students Organization (OMNSO), the Karen National League
for Democracy / Liberated Area (KNLD/ LA), the Karen Labor Union
(KLU), the Overseas Arakan Nationalities Organization and the Democratic
Alliances of Burma (DAB).