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Aung San Suu Kyi asks US Congress to help democratize Burma
06.22.2011
05:29 pm
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Burma’s pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi addressed US Congress through a video link today, seeking to help force Burma’s military junta to abide by a UN Human Rights Council Resolution passed in March. The resolution deals with the issues of political prisoners, freedom of association and information, independence of the judiciary, and the right of the UN Human Rights Rapporteur to visit the country.

“I’‘ve never made a statement before a committee of the United States Congress, so I’‘m not quite sure how to go about it. I would simply like to use this occasion to request that you do whatever you can to help us implement the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution, because that will open up the real road to democracy for all of us.”

Suu Kyi’s video message was played during a Congressional Committee hearing into present conditions in Burma, after the “sham elections”, which were held last November. These elections were boycotted by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, as international journalists and observers were forbidden to enter Burma during the vote.

Suu Kyi, who was held under house-arrest for most of the past 2 decades, made her statement by videotape, a she is reluctant to leave the Burma for fear she would not be allowed to return. In her message to the committee, Suu Kyi asked for help to make Burma an open society:

“The requests, the urgings, the demands of this resolution are very much in line with what we in Burma think is needed to start Burma along the genuine process of democratization.”

Note: the sound quality on this clip isn’t that good, but we think it still important enough to share.
 

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds

Family photographs of Aung San Suu Kyi


 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
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06.22.2011
05:29 pm
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