US president Barack Obama calls for release of Aung San Suu Kyi
19/06/2010 12:07
by Leo Reyes
US president Barack Obama greeted jailed Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on the occasion of her 65th birth anniversary and called on Myanmar's ruling junta to release the ailing freedom fighter.
ABS-CBN News reports:
Obama hailed the Myanmar opposition leader's "determination, courage, and personal sacrifice in working for human rights and democratic change" as she marks her birthday Saturday under house arrest in Yangon.
"I wish to convey my best wishes to Aung San Suu Kyi, the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace laureate, on the occasion of her 65th birthday on June 19," Obama said in his message.
"I once again call on the Burmese government to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally and to allow them to build a more stable, prosperous Burma that respects the rights of all its citizens."
Aung San Suu Kyi is the only Nobel Peace prize winner who is in detention.
Myanmar's military junta has kept the freedom fighter in detention for about 15 years after she was arrested before she could take power as Myanmar's duly-elected Prime Minister during the 1990 elections.
Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) won the 1990 elections but was never allowed by Myanmar's military junta to take power as she was arrested and tried on trumped-up charges and later put in jail.