Kaladan Press Network
Kachin, Karen and
Rohingya Leaders Welcome
Unconditional Release
of Aung San Suu Kyi
By our Correspondent
and Rohingya welcome the unconditional release of
Nobel Peace laureate and pro-democracy leader Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi from 19 months of house arrest in
statements.
"We, the KIO, are releasing a statement supporting
tripartite dialogue and we will
continue to assist the
ongoing dialogue between Suu Kyi
and the ruling
junta," said Col Zaw Seng, representative of KIO's
office in
in the tripartite dialogue to help
solve the country's
political problems," he said.
“We, the Karen National Union (KNU), welcome the
unconditional release of Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi from
house arrest by the SPDC military
regime after 17
months of detention and secret
talks, said the KNU
press release. “There is no
doubt that the
international pressure, especially
by the European
a variety of sanctions, as well as
the efforts of UN
Special Envoy Razali Ismail, whose role in brokering
the necessary talks, was
instrumental,” the press
release added.
“However, we must not forget that the Burmese military
regime is one of the most
intractable dictatorships in
the world. It is still early to say
whether the move
was simply aimed to get a temporary
relief from the
international pressure or a real
change of attitude on
the part of the military regime,”
it further said.
The KNU further urged the SPDC military regime to
declare a nationwide cease-fire and
reinstate freedom
of assembly and speech in order to
facilitate the
ethnic nationalities to freely meet
and consult for
the formulation of a common policy
essential for the
initiation of the “Tripartite
Dialogue” for the
resolution of all problems by
political means.
“We reiterate that it is pleasure to welcome the
release of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, the leader of the
National League for Democracy (NLD),” said Arakan
Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) in a press
release. “But any positive
changes that translate the
hopes and aspiration of the people
of
be possible through a meaningful
dialogue with the
representatives of the all
non-Burman ethnic
nationalities,” the statement
further said.
“It is to be mentioned that, unlike other people in
Rohingyas of Arakan have distinct
characters which
need to be redressed, with human
rights consideration,
on the principle of parity, justice
and equality,” it
further said.
“We are deeply grateful to international community
for its endeavour
for the release of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi. In this connection, the
contribution of
with Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, as an
ASEAN country, and
specially the untiring efforts of
the UN special envoy
Tan Sri Razali Ismail, who brokered the release, is
worthy of the highest praise”, the
statement also
said.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that the dialogue would
continue for now between her and
the government, but
it would expend in future to
include ethnic minority
groups, according to U Khun Htum Oo, leader of the
Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD).
The Shan
Democratic
exiled group, has called for an
“all inclusive wider
participation” in the on going
talks in
order to work out a durable
solution, reports the
" Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's
release should not be looked
at as a major breakthrough for
democracy in
There remain over thousand political prisoners and
hostilities against minority
peoples. The secret talk
(between Aung San Suu Kyi and the
junta) has just
passed the confidence building
phase and political
dialogue is yet to come", said
the
activists in
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who leads the NLD
said on May 7,
“ I am very greatful
for the role that UN has played
and what Mr. Razali has done. I am
cautiously
optimistic. Most of the changes
over the past 18
months have benefited the NLD but
it is not for NLD
but for the people that we are
struggling for
freedom,” she said.
"He has been very helpful in giving his thoughts and
opinions on what is going on in the
world and what
should happen," said Col. Hla Min, a military
spokesman. "He has done it in
such a friendly way that
both sides could be receptive to
his advice,” he
further said.
Retired Malaysian envoy Razali Ismail has been widely
credited with playing a pivotal
role in advancing
non-confrontational approach over
the past two years.
But, despite Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house
arrest, it will be some time before
Razali's diplomacy
can be judged -- he defines success
as the holding of
a free and fair general election,
reports FEER.
While freedom for Daw Aung Suu Kyi is a major
achievement for the people of
activists around the world
recognise that it will be
an uphill task before free election
are held in
Still many are hoping that Mr. Razali will be the man
to help bring about an amicable
settlement for the
people, reports the New Straits
Time.
Editor
Kaladan Press
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