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Myanmar Caucus writes to ASEAN and UN

Myanmar Caucus writes to ASEAN and UN

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) has written to ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, requesting that they visit Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as concern mounts about her health.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been refusing to accept supplies of food to her home since mid-August. After visiting her this week, her lawyer said that she had lost weight and is tired, but otherwise appears to be in good health.

It is only possible to speculate about Ms Suu Kyi's motives at present. However, her refusal to accept food coincided with her cancellation of meetings with UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari during his recent six-day visit to Rangoon. Since her refusal to see Gambari, supporters have speculated that the Nobel Peace Prize laureate has grown frustrated with the United Nations' failure to bring about change in the military-ruled nation.

Ms Suu Kyi has been in prison or under house arrest for nearly 13 of the past 19 years. In 1990 Suu Kyi's party won a landslide general election victory, but was denied power by Burma's ruling generals.

ENDS

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