Daw Aung San Suu Kyi convicted on trumped up charges
On 11 August 2009, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was found guilty of breaking the terms of her house arrest and sentenced to three years with hard labour, commuted to 18 months house arrest by Senior General Than Shwe. Two members of her National League for Democracy party who live with her, Daw Khin Khin Win and Daw Win Ma Ma, were also found guilty and face the same sentence.
The three were convicted on trumped up charges relating to the junta’s own failure to protect their security. The charges were brought after uninvited American guest John William Yettaw spent two nights at Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s home. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has already spent 13 of the last 19 years in detention.
“There is no justice, no rule of law, and no independent judiciary in Burma,” said Tate Naing, Secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). “The continued detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the jailing of Burma’s future. She is the true leader of Burma.”
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is one of more than 2,100 political prisoners in Burma’s prisons. Monks and students are among those who have been imprisoned for challenging the military regime with peaceful calls for democracy.
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UN Secretary-General targeted in biggest global action on Burma
On Monday 15 June 2009, former political prisoners and human rights activists delivered a petition to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, demanding he make it his personal priority to secure the release of all Burma’s political prisoners. Almost 680,000 signatures were collected in just ten weeks in the largest global coordinated action for Burma yet.
“My message to Mr. Ban Ki-moon is simple,” said Nyi Nyi Aung, one of the delegates, whose mother and two cousins are serving jail terms of up to 65 years for their pro-democracy activities: “Your words show you take this issue seriously. But now I want to see what action you will take to secure the release of my family and all Burma’s political prisoners.”
In early July Ban Ki-moon traveled to Burma, stating before he went that his first priority was to secure the release of all Burma’s political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. However, his message was ignored by the junta, who refused to grant his request to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He returned from Burma empty-handed.
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Read more about those in prison
Take action for Burma’s political prisoners
The Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now! petition has now closed.
Take the Amnesty International action calling on the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to urgently bring about decisive diplomatic pressure on Myanmar/Burma to free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other prisoners of conscience in the country.
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Take action for Burma
The Burma pro-democracy movement is calling for decisive action from the UN Security Council in light of the recent conviction of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This includes a UN resolution to impose an arms embargo banning the sale of weapons to Burma, and to establish an investigation into crimes against humanity in the country, known as a Commission of Inquiry.
Human rights groups have documented grave violations against civilians in Eastern Burma, including the rape of women and children, forcible recruitment of child soldiers, and the use of civilians as human ‘landmine sweepers’. Recent attacks along the Thai-Burma border have forced an estimated 4,000 Karen villagers to flee to Thailand for safety.
In August and September, the UK and US will serve consecutively as President of the UN Security Council. The UK and US ambassadors to the UN, John Sawers and Susan Rice, have the power to propose a Security Council resolution creating an investigation into crimes against humanity.
Avaaz – a massive online community of activists – have also launched a petition calling for a Commission of Inquiry, which could eventually lead to the arrest of Burma’s top generals.
