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'Suu Kyi Will Be Released': Home Minister

By BA KAUNG Monday, January 25, 2010
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The detained leader of Burma's main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), Aung San Suu Kyi, and her deputy, Tin Oo, will be released this year, the Burmese Minister for Home Affairs Maj-Gen Maung Oo reportedly told local officials in Kyaukpadaung Township last week.

According to a Reuters report, Maung Oo made the statement on Jan. 21 at a gathering of local officials in the central Burmese town.

“We heard that Daw Suu will be released in November this year and U Tin Oo on Feb. 13,” said NLD spokesman Khin Maung Swe. "Maung Oo also said that the NLD is not so bad and should be listened to."

Detained Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, center, exits the Inya Lake Hotel after meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell in Rangoon on November. (Photo: AP)

“We welcome the news. But this is not politically significant since the elections would already be finished when Aung San Suu Kyi is released,” said Win Tin, an NLD leader, adding that if Suu Kyi is not released until after the elections, the chances are lowered of the NLD participating in the current political process.

According to sources in Kyaukpaduang Towship in Mandalay Division, Maung Oo said at the meeting that the election will be free and fair and that polls will not be rigged.

Both Suu Kyi and Tin Oo, the deputy chairman of the NLD, are currently under house arrest. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi had her house arrest extended in August for briefly sheltering an American citizen who swan uninvited to her lakeside home in Rangoon.

Maung Oo played a role at the end of Suu Kyi's trial, theatrically entering the courtroom to read aloud a statment from junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe that commuted Suu Kyi's sentence from three years' hard labor to 18 months under house arrest, which runs from May 2009 to November 2010.   

Tin Oo has been under house arrest since May 2003 when Suu Kyi and many of her party members were attacked by a government-sponsored mob in the village of Depayin in Sagaing Division.

Burmese junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe reaffirmed earlier this month that an election will be held this year. The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, recently reported that the election will be held on Oct. 10, citing a Burmese military source.

Some observers said the Oct. 10 date provided by the Asahi source was plausible, given the junta's superstitious attachment to auspicious numbers. By holding the election on the 10th day of the 10th month in 2010, the regime leaders believe their victory is assured.



COMMENTS (16)
 
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Moe Aung Wrote:
31/01/2010
sawmin,

"What we need at this juncture is people's power not armchair experts."

Hear, hear! And good leadership for the people to win through - one that will not shy away from organizing effective mass action and, in a recurrent worst case scenario, an armed uprising with the courage and a plan to win.

Claire Wrote:
30/01/2010
I agree with Sawmin: action is needed and the people need to stick together.

I have filled in numerous petitions and letters to embassies etc to urge for action and years on nothing has really changed

sawmin Wrote:
27/01/2010
DASSK will be sadly remembered in history as an honest fighter but outsmarted by the so called illiterate generals at every step. But what about the people ? Will we wait for the western friends of DAASK to offer something other than lip service or the So called democracy leaders' wait for mercy from the Junta. A real leader makes proactive decisions and we need to cultivate a democratic spirit instead of prapagating cronyism and icon worship.Goerge Washington refused to be the president for the third time, the actions and inspirations of the founding fathers of the USA like him paved the way for the best democracy in the world. What we need at this juncture is people's power not armchair experts.

Kerry Wrote:
27/01/2010
It's time for the whole world to address this farce. Collectively. It has gone on long enough.

Burmese people stand strong - and in unity. Young people take heart. Human rights and freedom are a given in the 21st Century. Now... a fresh wind of welcome change.

DASSK will be free.

Myo Gyi Wrote:
27/01/2010
I got a feeling that Maung Oo will be removed from Minister for Home Affairs soon. Than Shwe will cut his tongue as well.

Moe Aung Wrote:
26/01/2010
Robert,

'The old guard will try to make the world believe that a election victory that happened 20 years ago is relevant. It is not. The only thing that is relevant is that there were no new elections ever since.'

So we are supposed to be grateful that the junta deigns to bestow on us a sham election? Better late than never? Who cares about what the world believe?

The only thing that's relevant is that the same outfit reneged on the election results of 1990, rigged a referendum and now an election to ensure military domination for eternity. Only power matters to them.

The one consistent nature of the regime is its overwhelming greed and selfishness, and the lack of any sense of duty and honor.

'Nobody would remember Win Tin in twenty years......this old man is trying to protect a future job and future influence.'

This brave old man is selfless and a true patriot. Win Tin will be remembered by the nation.

You seem to suffer from a bad case of amnesia. Who the heck is Aung Suu?

Oo Maung Gyi Wrote:
26/01/2010
Already the junta has won the election. No need to hold the election just to please US and international communities.

Let the ASEAN also keep its mouth shut. Burma is a country starting from 11th century under feudalism making a military general as king.

Ngal Hriang Wrote:
26/01/2010
Releasing Suu Kyi after the election will prove what we all predicted since a long time ago. Suu Kyi committed no crime. She violated no law either. The reason why she has been detained for too long has only one reason. The reason is: The generals are afraid of her.

The generals know that Suu Kyi can beat them if she is let free. That is the only reason she is detained. She is already history anyway.

Yangontha Wrote:
26/01/2010
A new hope for Daw ASSK's followers for this year!

James O'Brien Wrote:
25/01/2010
Anyone who believes this will believe tigers don't kill to eat in the Year of the Tiger.

Junta is just tormenting Daw Suu so she will die under house arrest "of natural causes."

Wouldn't they love that.

Kyaw Wrote:
25/01/2010
Yes, she will be released, but when? It will only be after everything has been assured not to leave any space for the peoples' leaders.

A mass protest against the Government favorable to the military and uncountable bloodshed are imminent. Without the democratically approved constitution and the election participated in by all prominent figures, free and fair and under the watch of the International organizations, it will be just an ordeal and incubating another nightmare for Burma.

Robert Wrote:
25/01/2010
Whatever Win Tin may claim, the release of Aung Suu is always significant. Nobody would remember Win Tin in twenty years, nobody would remember the NLD in twenty years, but they would Aung Suu.

The old guard will try to make the world believe that a election victory that happened 20 years ago is relevant. It is not. The only thing that is relevant is that there were no new elections ever since. The demography has changed, people will vote for Aung Suu without a doubt, but not for the NLD.

If Aung Suu would decide today to start a new movement without the old men the NLD would receive hardly any votes and her new movement a majority. I cannot see it in any other light than this old man is trying to protect a future job and future influence.

Thway Ni Wrote:
25/01/2010
I certainly hope that there is some truth in what the junta is saying this time.

Dr W Taw Wrote:
25/01/2010
The promise that the "polls will not be rigged" means nothing when the parties will all be hand-picked and vetted. It will almost be as good as it being rigged.

MokeHimKha Wrote:
25/01/2010
Please do not give trust this unverifiable news so quickly. Why did this Home Minister Maung Oo say such important news at a local meeting in Kyaukpadaung? It is simply nonsense. This kind of distribution of news is “déjà vu”.

The SPDC can not hold the Elections without participation of NLD at all. They need NLD in the Elections. They know that already -self-declared participants are not getting people's support and reliable alternative political forces for the people. Therefore in my view this news might be aimed to change “NLD’s resistant position to the Elections and “public opinion” as Elections are nearer.

We should wait and see if this news is reliable and if some kinds of concrete positive offers will come out from SPDC leaders.

Aung Aung Wrote:
25/01/2010
Min Lwin said so, now it's Maung Oo’s turn. Who will be the next? This is an old dirty trick played again by the SPDC.

If, I mean “If” one day, Min Lwin or Maung Oo or anyone being questioned at the judiciary court, don’t answer that “I was ordered to say so.” There is nobody above the law; you are accountable for what you have said and done.

It is not a new story to hint that DASSK will not be released within days or weeks. The whole world is watching if SPDC is “inviting” J. Yettaw a second time for U Tin Oo next month.

November means after the election. SPDC assumes everything is going to go smoothly as it planned. They thought it would be ok after killing monks in 2007.








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