Julie Morgan the MP for Cardiff North is calling for renewed support for the detained elected leader of Burma Aung San Suu Kyi who has spent thirteen of the last nineteen years either in jail or under house arrest and who has recently been arrested and is undergoing a fresh trial under charges made against her by the military junta running the country. The trial began on Monday 18th May.
The new trial is being held under tight security, inside a prison in Burma. The charges relate to an incident when American John Yettany swam across the river to the waterside home of Suu Kyi whilst she was under house arrest. Mr Yettany is also facing charges.
Many in the West believe that this trial is being used as an excuse to make sure that Suu Kyi is either still under house arrest or in prison for the Burmese elections next year.
Julie said:
“I along with many others have campaigned for Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest and prison for many years. She is the freely elected leader of her country, imprisoned because the unelected military in Burma did not approve of the result of free elections. Under international law, the Military Government has no legal right to govern, and no moral right to govern under any law.
It is no surprise to me or anyone who has followed this situation to see the incident of Mr Yettany swimming to Suu Kyi’s home used as an excuse to put her on trial before next year’s elections. The result of these elections is only valid, in the Military Government’s eyes, if they agree with what they want.
I ask everybody who cares about democracy to do what they can. Write to your MP, write to Government Ministers, support Amnesty’s International’s campaign, support the Burma Campaign; do everything you can to show that people care deeply about this issue and want to see a free democracy brought to Burma.
We want to see these changes happen bloodlessly. With support from our Government, every European Government, the EU and the United Nations, we can work towards making this change. We all want Suu Kyi to be fit and well enough to see it herself.”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Julie Morgan MP, 17 Plasnewydd, Whitchurch, Cardiff, CF14 1NR
Tel: 029 20 624166 (Constituency)
0207 219 6960 (Westminster)
07798 896403 (Mobile)
morganj@parliament.uk
http://www.juliemorgan.org