You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Southeast Asia
Myanmar junta slammed for arrest of pro-democracy leaders
2005-02-12
The United States slammed Myanmar's military junta on Friday for arresting several pro-democracy leaders and prohibiting groups from commemorating a key pre-independence event.
Meet the new thugs, same as the old thugs.
Among those held was Hkun Htun Oo, the chairman of the Shan National League for Democracy, which won elections in 1990 and the results of which the junta refused to acknowledge. "The United States is deeply concerned" over the arrest, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. He also expressed concern that the military had prohibited the United Nationalities Alliance, Myanmar's leading coalition of pro-democracy ethnic political parties, from commemorating Union Day on February 12. On that day in 1947, various ethnic communities within what was known as Burma then unanimously called for independence from Britain. Burma became independent a year later but has been ruled by a military dictatorship since the 1960s.

Boucher said the latest actions by the junta further demonstrated its "rejection of genuine national reconciliation as well as its disregard for the well being of the Burmese people and the views of the international community." He reiterated US demands for the immediate and unconditional release of nobel laureate and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners and to allow her National League for Democracy to reopen its offices. The United States has branded Myanmar an "outpost of tyranny" and is very likely to boycott next year's Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Yangon. Washington has imposed diplomatic, trade and investment sanctions on Myanmar for several years to pressure it to embrace democracy and respect human rights.
Posted by:Steve White

00:00