Hon Chris Carter
Foreign Affairs Spokesperson

15 May 2009 Media Statement

Sham trial of Aung San Suu Kyi a disgrace

Burma’s military junta must not be allowed to perpetuate the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi through a sham trial, says Labour Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Chirs Carter.

“Aung San Suu Kyi is Burma’s democratically elected leader who has been in isolation under house arrest for most of the last 19 years.

“Her current term of detention is due to expire at the end of this month and elections were planned for next year.

“The credibility of the Burma junta’s commitment to hold democratic elections must now be called in to question.

“The military junta’s pretext that Aung San Suu Kyi has broken the terms of her imprisonment is spurious and transparent to the whole international community,” Chris Carter said.

“How she can be in breach of her detention because an American passport holder swam across the lake adjacent to her house is beyond comprehension.

“This is clearly subterfuge on the part of the junta to construct a reason to continue her illegal detention, and to continue to deny the people of Burma their democratic rights,” Chris Carter said.

ENDS

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