Mizzima: "Withdraw all restrictions

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"Withdraw all restrictions imposed on Aung San Suu Kyi", eminent
citizens of India urge the Burmese Junta

New Delhi, September 12, 2000
Mizzima News Group

Several prominent politicians, intellectuals and human rights activists
of India have condemned the Burmese military junta for the continued
repression being mounted to the pro-democracy movement led by Aung San
Suu Kyi in Burma. In a memorandum addressed to the Junta's leader Senior
General Than Shwe, they protested the fact that Nobel Laureate Aung San
Suu Kyi has not been allowed free movement even after her formal release
in 1995 after a six years house arrest.

Those who have signed the memorandum include noted journalist and Member
of Parliament Mr. Kuldip Nayar, former Lok Sabha speaker Mr. Rabi Ray,
former Minister of State for External Affairs Mr. Hari Kishore Singh,
senior socialist leader Prof. Madhu Dandavate, Dr. D. Raja from
Communist Party of India, Ms. Maja Daruwala from Commonwealth Human
Rights Initiative (CHRI), and women rights lawyer Ms. Rani Jethmalani.

Representatives of political parties including Dr. Shambu Shrivastava of
Samata Party, Ms. Sarla Maheshwari, MP, of Communist Party of India
(Marxist), Ms. Pramila Dandavate of Janata Dal (Secular) and Mr.
Holkhomang Haokip, MP, of Nationalist Congress Party were also among
those who signed the memorandum.

The signatories have stated that one of the latest incident in the wave
of repression in Burma occurred on the night of September 1, when the
military regime forced Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD members to return to
Rangoon from Dala town. They were stopped on the roadside and were
barred from travelling any further for party work. Aung San Suu Kyi
resisted this military blockade by spending full nine days and nights in
her car after which she and others were handcuffed and coerced by nearly
200 armed riot police to go back to the capital. Since then, Aung San
Suu Kyi and her colleagues have been incommunicado with the outside
world.

"We would urge your government to let Aung San Suu Kyi and all other
political workers to travel freely and organize political activities
inside the country. We call for immediate withdrawal of all the
restrictions imposed on her and her colleagues", said the memorandum
which was sent today to the Burmese embassy in New Delhi.

Similarly, a solidarity meeting of Indian citizens to lend support Aung
San Suu Kyi's Satyagraha in Burma was held on September 9 at India
International Center (IIC) jointly organized by MANUSHI women magazine
and All Burma Students League. "We are very concerned that basic human
rights of Aung San Suu Kyi and other citizens of Burma, are being
trampled upon with impunity" said Ms. Madhu Kishwar, editor of MANUSHI.