Press Release
Vaclav Havel writes to UN SG regarding the trial with Aung San Suu Kyi
Prague, May 15, 2009 – Former president Václav Havel writes to UN Secretary General asking him to secure releasing of Burmese opositio Burmese opposition leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. She appeared in court yeasterday and was charged with violating the law on her house arrest because of meeting a US citizen last week.
John William Yettaw entered Suu Kyi’s compound last week after swimming secretly across the lake to her house. Suu Kyi refused his visit and told him to leave her house. According to her lawyer Kyi Win, Suu Kyi was therefore not in breach of the conditions of her house arrest under which she cannot invite visitors.
Due to the trial Suu Kyi has been detained in a special cell in Rangoon’s notorious Insein prison where a number of leading dissidents are incarcerated. The trial which began today has been adjourned with the next hearing scheduled for May 18.
"After years and countless calls on the junta to adhere to international rules and standards, the international community somehow got used to the fact that even elementary dialogue with the junta is impossible and that hundreds of thousands refugees from Burma are a fact of life and that nothing can be done about it. The latest developments should serve as a wake up call." sais Havel in the letter.
People in Need is participating in Free Burma Political Prisoners Now! Campaign. So far more than 300.000 signatures from different parts of the world have been collected. The petition is calling on the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make it his personal priority to secure the release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and will be handed over to UN Secretary General on May 24. Petition can be signed at: www.FBPPN.net
Aung San Suu Kyi is the only Nobel Peace laureate being currently imprisoned. She has been under house arrest for more than 13 of the last 19 years. Her detention is illegal under international, and also under Burmese law. Her detention is due to expire on May 27, 2009 but Burma’s officials announced last week that Suu Kyi will not be released.
For more information please contact:
Marie Zahradníková
Burma Projects Officer
Cell: +420 739 220 248
E-mail: marie.zahradnikova@peopleinneed.cz
Open Letter to Secretary General Ban Ki – moon
Prague May 14, 2009
Dear Secretary General,
I was shocked today to learn that the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dawn Aung San Suu Kyi,
together with two other people, was taken to prison and charged with violating the rules and
regulations of her house arrest. This deplorable action by Burmese military dictatorship took
place only two weeks before her latest six-year detention is due to expire on May 27.
As you and the rest of the civilized world know, after the last free elections 20 years ago,
whose results were denied to the Burmese people by the military junta, Daw Aung San Suu
kyi has spent 13 out of the last 19 years under house arrest during which she was constantly
harassed, denied medical treatment, cut off from information from the outside world,
prevented from communicating with her friends and supporters, and on one occasion, 6 years
ago this month, was nearly assassinated.
After years and countless calls on the junta to adhere to international rules and standards, the
international community somehow got used to the fact that even elementary dialogue with the
junta is impossible and that hundreds of thousands refugees from Burma are a fact of life and
that nothing can be done about it. The latest developments should serve as a wake up call.
Excellency, on May 18, the junta plans to begin a trial with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and three
other people using a bizarre incident as a pretext. If the defendants are convicted by this
absurd court they face up to 5 years in prison. Given Daw Aung San Suu Kyi´s fragile health
and harsh conditions in Burmese prison I am gravely concerned about her life. I, therefore,
call on you to do everything in your power to procur the immediate and unconditional release
of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She is not alone. The junta has jailed over 2100 political
prisoners. Your personal intervention is urgently needed to prevent this mockery of a trial
from going forward.
Sincerely
Vaclav Havel
Ban Ki – moon
Secretary General
United Nations