The Burma charade continues
Thursday, 11 March 2010
The Coalition condemns the ongoing persecution of Aung San Suu Kyi by Burma’s military rulers, who have banned Suu Kyi from participating in elections to be held later this year, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop said today.Ms Bishop said the military rulers are clearly intimidated by the popular support for Suu Kyi, should she be allowed to contest the election.
“Rather than cling to power through a corrupt process in clear defiance of the will of the Burmese people and the international community, the military junta should hold free and fair elections and respect the decision of the long-suffering people of Burma,” she said.
“The military dictatorship can take no comfort from holding a general election that is a mere charade, for the world remembers that the National League for Democracy, led by Suu Kyi, overwhelmingly won the last election held in Burma in 1990.
“Suu Kyi’s party was prevented from taking office by the military and no-one can have any confidence that the will of the people will be respected by this brutal regime.”
Ms Bishop said Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained in house arrest or other forms of detention for 15 of 21 years since the 1990 election.
