By Michael Heath
May 22 (Bloomberg) -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he will visit Myanmar “as soon as possible” to press for the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
“I am deeply concerned about what has been happening in Myanmar in terms of democratization and I’m going to urge again the release of political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi,” he told CNN, adding her imprisonment is “unacceptable.”
Suu Kyi, 63, went on trial four days ago accused of breaching a house arrest order that expires next week. Pro- democracy campaigners say the ruling generals are looking for a legal pretext to put her in jail before 2010 elections.
Ban said Suu Kyi, who is being held in Insein Prison in the former capital, Yangon, is in good health and UN officials in the country are monitoring her condition. Ban spoke in an interview with CNN aired yesterday.
If Suu Kyi is found guilty, she could be jailed for as many five years. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has spent 13 years in detention since her National League for Democracy party won Myanmar’s last elections in 1990, a result rejected by the military that has ruled the country formerly known as Burma since 1962.
Elections ‘Illegitimate’
Suu Kyi’s trial shows the junta’s plan for elections next year is “illegitimate,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said two days ago. “It is outrageous that they are trying her and they continue to hold her because of her political popularity.”
The U.S. is “working very hard” to bring more influence to bear on Myanmar’s military to return the country to democracy, Clinton said in Washington.
“There are several countries that have influence on the Burmese junta and we are going to try to do our best to influence them to see that this repressive regime is not one” that continues to be supported, she said. China and India, Myanmar’s closest allies, are “major players,” Clinton added.
Ban visited Myanmar in May last year after the country was devastated by a cyclone, winning agreement from Senior General Than Shwe to admit foreign aid workers.
He told CNN he is “very seriously” discussing a date for the visit with Myanmar’s government. He didn’t elaborate.
Ban’s envoy, Nigerian diplomat Ibrahim Gambari, has visited Myanmar five times since the junta crushed pro-democracy demonstrations led by monks in 2007, in an effort to broker talks between the regime and the opposition.
Suu Kyi is an “indispensable partner for reconciliatory dialogue in Myanmar,” the secretary-general told CNN.
Myanmar yesterday barred foreign diplomats and reporters from observing Suu Kyi’s trial, after allowing them in the day before, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said in Washington, adding the U.S. was “disappointed” with the decision.
To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Heath in Sydney at mheath1@bloomberg.net.
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aBrmHlUXcVrc&refer=asia#
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