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Burmese and Indian
activists stage protest in New Delhi for Suu Kyi's release
Htoo Shin
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
19 June 2003.
A number of Burmese pro-democracy activists staged a protest
rally in
New Delhi on Aung San Suu Kyi's 58th birthday, demanding her
release
from detention by the Burmese regime.
Similar protests demonstrations, and hunger strikes were staged
around
the world as part of a 'Global Action Campaign for Burma'.
Nearly 200 activists based in Delhi, shouting slogans of "Military
Rule: Down! Down!", "Free!Free! - Aung San Suu Kyi",
"Restore..Restore -
Democracy", "We need India's support" etc. and
holding placards, marched
along Parliament Street in News Delhi.
"We demanded that the Burmese regime investigate the culprits
of Black
Friday, immediately release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo and
other
political activists from their detention, and start urgently
the national
reconciliation dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi", U Nyunt
Hla, a
protestor told Mizzima News.
Rev. U Pyinnyawara, abbot of the Samta Buddha Vihara, said that
India,
the world's biggest democracy, should strongly criticise the
Burmese
generals, who have continuously oppressed and killed innocent
people,
instead of initiating a constructive relationship.
"We activists have always highlighted our democracy struggle.
We should
lobby the Indian people and inform members of the Indian Parliament,
the political parties as well as the Government of India of
the current
Burmese situation. In particular, we should lobby the two regional
powers China and India to take the lead in the search for a
peaceful
solution for Burma because they could put pressure on the Burmese
generals",
said Dr. Tine Swe, elected Member of Parliament of No.(2) Constituency
of Pale township, Sagaing Division, Burma.
Burmese pro-democracy leaders participating in the demonstrations
said
that "all concerned governments should consider punitive
action and
suspend any economic and development assistance to the regime
until Aung
San Suu Kyi is released and the transition process is put on
track. It
is the time for Burmese people to decide how to free Burma from
the
brutal military dictatorship".
"During his recent tenth visit to Burma, the demand by
the United
Nations Special Envoy Razali Ismail for the immediate release
of Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi was not fulfilled by the Burmese regime", said
a statement of
Women's League of Burma.
All religious leaders prayed for the release of Aung San Suu
Kyi and
her people living under the military regime.
Moreover, Indian women activists led by Madhu Kishwar, editor
of the
MANUSHI Magazine, staged a protest in front of the Burmese embassy
in
New Delhi for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, but the Delhi
police
arrested them for two hours and later released them. Burmese
activists could
not join them, their car having been stopped and turned around
by the
police.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior leaders of the National
League
for Democracy have been placed under detention by the Burmese
generals
following an attack by SPDC-affiliatd thugs against the Nobel
Peace Prize
laureate during her tour of Upper Burma on 30 May. The regime
has
closed down several NLD offices in the country. |
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