EBO Burma News, 18 June 2003
News Summary:
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1. ICRC barred from seeing Suu Kyi, but
will visit other
2.
3.
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ICRC barred from seeing Suu Kyi,
but will visit other
(ICRC) said Wednesday the
detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi but had
agreed to visits with all
other opposition members rounded up after
violent clashes last month.
ICRC delegation head in
Home Affairs Minister Tin Hlaing that he
was optimistic the organisation would
be allowed to see Aung San Suu Kyi at a
later date.
"For the time being the access is
denied," he told AFP. "We are hopeful and
we continue to ask for immediate access to
her."
Aung San Suu Kyi was put under
"protective custody" after the May 30
clashes which broke out on a political tour of
northern
"I will see Tin Oo and all the other
NLD persons," said Ducraux, adding
that the meetings were due to begin in the
next few days.
"We have been given access to all the
persons who were arrested and are
detained in connection with the clash that occured on May 30 -- with one
exception."
Ducraux said it was very hard to determine how
many people were detained in
the crackdown, and declined to give an
estimate, saying the figures would
become clearer once the jail visits had begun.
--------------------------------
The Canadian Press
his country may take tougher measures against
leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains a prisoner of
the military regime.
"We believe that the generals need to
understand that Suu Kyi has to be released
and released as immediately as possible and
given an opportunity to carry
on her political role in the country,"
Foreign Minister Bill Graham told reporters.
The minister said
consider what other measures could be taken if the
Nobel Peace Prize winner
is not released from military custody.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
has traditionally opted for a policy
of "constructive engagement" when
dealing with
of its military regime or any involvement in
its domestic affairs.
But ASEAN ministers veered from this
policy Tuesday when they urged the junta
to release Suu Kyi.
"We found that constructive
engagement has not worked," Graham said.
-------------------------------
Asia's top security grouping calls
for release of Myanmar's Suu Kyi
Suu Kyi, in a joint statement released at
the conclusion of annual talks here.
The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
"looked forward to the early lifting of
restrictions placed on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the
NLD (National League for
Democracy) members" arrested in the
country's north last month, the statement
said.
It was a repeat of the historical call
made Tuesday by ASEAN foreign
ministers that marked a significant departure for
the 10-member bloc from
their rigid and longstanding policy of
non-interference in members' affairs.
The ARF members "urged
reconciliation and dialogue among all parties leading to
a peaceful transition
to democracy," according to the
statement.
They also expressed support for the UN
secretary-general's special envoy to
and
The joint statement followed strong
demands by US Secretary of State Colin
Powell earlier Wednesday for Southeast
Asian nations to step up pressure on
"This is not a matter of ASEAN
interfering in
affairs," a senior US State Department
official quoted Powell as telling the
ARF meeting in the
Cambodian capital.
"It is a question of ASEAN insisting
that one of its members heed the deep
concerns of its neighbours and of the
international community," Powell said,
according to the official.
"
violate the fundamental rights of its citizens
with impunity."
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