On Monday 24th October 2005 Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Burma’s democracy movement, will have spent a total of 10 years in detention.
On this day the Burma Campaign UK will publish a report highlighting the disparity between the supportive words of world leaders towards Aung San Suu Kyi, and the lack of effective action to support her. Other protests and actions are also being planned.
ABOUT AUNG SAN SUU KYI
Aung San Suu Kyi has been in and out of detention since 1989. She was held under house arrest from 1989-1995, and again from 2000-2002. She was again arrested in May 2003 after the Depayin massacre, during which up to 100 of her supporters were beaten to death by the regime’s militia. She is currently under house arrest in Rangoon.
Fears for Aung San Suu Kyi’s safety have been growing since a government reshuffle in October 2004, in which hardliners seized control of key government posts. General Soe Win, the mastermind behind the 30th May 2003 massacre, has been promoted to the post of Prime Minister. Since then the military dictatorship has been intensifying its isolation of Aung San Suu Kyi. She is allowed no visitors, her phone line has been cut, post intercepted, and National League for Democracy volunteers providing security at her compound have been removed. The United Nations envoy to Burma has been barred from entering the country by the regime
On June 19th 2005 she spent her 60th birthday under house arrest.
A full profile is available at:http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/aboutburma/aung_san_suu_kyi.htm
For more information contact Mark Farmaner, Burma Campaign UK, Media Manager, on 020 7324 4713