Burma lifts Suu Kyi house arrest

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Burma lifts Suu Kyi house arrest

BBC World Service website,
Thursday, 14 September, 2000, 10:23 GMT 11:23 UK

Aung San Suu Kyi has not been seen for two weeks
The Burmese military authorities say they have lifted
restrictions limiting the movements ofopposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi and senior members of her National
League for Democracy.

The opposition leader has been under virtual house arrest for almost
two weeks, since the authorities ended a roadside protest against
restrictions on her travel outside the city.

The block on her movements - which sparked international
protests - was lifted after a rare meeting between an NLD official
and the military authorities.

Reports from Rangoon say diplomats and some senior members
of the party have now been allowed to visit her at home.

Among those reported to have visited the opposition leader's
house was Tin Oo, vice chairman of the National League for
Democracy (NLD) whose movements have also been
subject to restriction.

Telephone lines to Aung San Suu Kyi's house and to NLD
headquarters in Rangoon are now also reported to have been
reconnected.

Government investigation

Shortly after Aung San Su Kyi and her party were forcibly
returned to the capital, the Burmese Government announced
that it had begun investigations into the NLD's activities.

It denied that any official had been formally placed under
house arrest, but said it had requested that they remain at
home while investigations were undertaken.

The government's actions drew strong  international criticism
with the US and UK governments accusing the Burmese authorities
of blatantly violating the rights of Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues.

In a statement released on the Burmese authorities' official
information website on Thursday the government "expressed its
appreciation for the cooperation of the senior NLD members
for staying at home and its regret for the inconvenience caused
to those involved.

"Since noon today", the statement said, "those senior NLD
members are no longer required to stay at their respective
residences resuming their daily activities as usual."