Fourteen years
Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi
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Friday, 23, Oct 2009 03:41
By Matthew Champion.
Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi will tonight mark her 14th year in detention at the hands of the country's military rulers.
Since 1990 the 64-year-old has spent just five years out of detention, whether in prison or under house arrest.
Daw Suu Kyi was given a further 18 months house arrest in August when a trial dismissed as politically motivated by international observers found her guilty over an American man's unsolicited night-time swim to her dilapidated Rangoon residence.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) leader's party won a landslide election victory at the turn of the last decade, but since then the ruling junta has entrenched its power by hiding Daw Suu Kyi from the public eye.
She is one of 2,100 political prisoners still behind bars in Burma, UK campaigners claim.
Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, said the international community was failing to do all it could to secure the release of all political prisoners in the country.
"Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to use sanctions as leverage to persuade the generals to resume dialogue, but so far all we have is low level officials talking about talks," he said.
"Aung San Suu Kyi needs our support in pressuring the generals to start real dialogue."
Daw Suu Kyi's latest period of detention was widely seen as a way to keep her silent during elections planned for next year.
Burma Campaign UK is calling for a "sense of urgency" among world leaders over Daw Suu Kyi's detention.
Mr Farmaner said diplomatic and legal pressure should be stepped up, including a UN commission of inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity being set up, as well as a global arms embargo and economic sanctions.
"Aung San Suu Kyi has spent yet another year in detention," he said.
"The generals are defying the international community and pressing ahead with an election and constitution that could keep them in power for decades to come. It is a myth that they are not vulnerable to pressure, they are vulnerable, but the right pressure has never been applied.
"Fine words are not enough, we need action."