Philippines demands release of Suu Kyi

Philippines demands release of Suu Kyi

Agencies, Manila/Bangkok

The Philippines demanded on Wednesday that the Myanmar's ruling
junta release democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said he told Myanmar's visiting
deputy foreign minister U Khin Maung Wing that Manila expects his
government to put in place "sincere measures at democratic
reforms" and free Suu Kyi from detention.

"I told Special Envoy Maung Wing that it is the strong desire
of the Philippine government to see Daw Suu Kyi and the members
of the National League for Democracy released and allowed to
pursue their political activities," Ople said in a statement.

Maung Win had given a briefing on developments concerning the
Nobel laureate, but could not give a specific date of her
release, Ople said.

"I was a little disappointed that no decision has yet been
taken by Myanmar on the issue," Ople said.

He said the Philippine also supported a proposal by Indonesia
for foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) to be allowed to visit Myanmar.

"In this way, we could not only meet Daw Suu Kyi but we could
also reassure the leadership and people of Myanmar that ASEAN
respects Myanmar's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he
said.

In a separate development, Amnesty International said in
Bangkok on Wednesday rights abuses in military-ruled Myanmar have
risen sharply since the junta detained pro-democracy icon Suu Kyi
on May 30,

Amnesty, denouncing what it called a culture of impunity, said
the ruling generals had taken no action against a pro-junta group
that attacked Suu Kyi's supporters with clubs on May 30 when she
was touring a town in central Myanmar.

"The violent attacks on that day, which resulted in the deaths
and injuries of an unknown number of people...and the arrests of
scores of political activists, have strengthened the culture of
impunity in Myanmar," Amnesty said in a report.

The group said at least 10 people died in the attack.

It said Myanmar authorities immediately detained 64 supporters
of the Nobel laureate, put 53 in "temporary custody" in following
days and put eight senior leaders of her National League for
Democracy (NLD) party under de facto house arrest.

Amnesty said 53 pro-democracy activists had "disappeared"
since May 30.

The Myanmar government blames Suu Kyi for provoking the May
clash and says four people died. The junta said last week it had
freed 96 people it detained but was still holding 40, all but one
of whom were NLD members.

Amnesty urged the Myanmar junta to allow an independent
investigation into the clash and punish those responsible.

"No progress can be made on the protection of human rights in
Myanmar until the SPDC hold accountable those found responsible
for the May 30 events and its aftermath," the group said,
referring to the junta by its official name, the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC).

International pressure has mounted in recent weeks on the
junta to free Suu Kyi, with Washington imposing new sanctions,
key donor Japan cutting off new aid and Myanmar's Southeast Asian
neighbors delivering an unprecedented public rebuke.

Suu Kyi has spent much of the past decade under house arrest.
Her NLD swept to an election victory in 1990 but was never handed
power by the military, which has ruled since a 1962 coup.

Amnesty said there were over 1,300 political prisoners locked
up in Myanmar, including those arrested on or after May 30.