David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

FCO Logo
« Congratulations to... | Main | Indispensible Power »
Monday 18 May, 2009

Aung San Suu Kyi on show trial

As I travel to Brussels, Aung San Suu Kyi goes on show trial in Burma. Her house arrest is bad enough; trial rubs it in. Her real case to answer is maintaining a dignified and enduring opposition to regime rule.

Her claim is simple: she won an election and now, along with a range of other groups, is being kept away from fulfilling the will of her people. We will continue to fly the flag for the cause of political and social freedom in Burma.

Posted at 14:47 18 May 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

  • Share this with:
Comments:

One of the more worrying aspects of the situation in Burma/Myanma is that there is no longer a viable democratic option to replace the Junta. For all her strengths as a political figurehead, Aung San Suu Kyi is an unknown quantity and seems to be lacking the necessary quality people to create a working government. If she is ever allowed to form a government, it will either fail and be replaced by the Generals who will be able to claim that their "experiment" with democracy was a failure - or the lack of a democratic opposition to a future Aung San Suu Kyi lead government will leave the country in a situation not dissimilar to South Africa. Nominally democratic, but lacking any real sense of a functioning democracy.

Posted by IanVisits on May 18, 2009 at 03:09 PM BST #

The problem in Burma is being allowed to drag on and on. I just wonder what turn of events will finally give the int'l community the motivation it needs to take action. Cyclone Nargis has exacerbated the situation and was supposed to be the turning point but there has again been drift on this issue. History will determine that we failed to stand up for democracy and human rights for the people of Burma.

Posted by Francis on May 19, 2009 at 09:32 AM BST #

Sir John Sawers made a very strong statement at the UN Stakeout last week about the trial and imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi. It would be good if this was linked somewhere on the fco homepage to raise greater awareness of this issue.

Posted by Samuel Dean on May 23, 2009 at 03:46 PM BST #

David, I applaud your government, and in particular you, your PM and your Ambassador to Burma, Mark Canning, for so stridently highlighting the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi. This is an outrageous show trial by a gaggle of self-serving dictators whose oppression of their people and selfishness know no bounds. I hope, one day soon, Britain and her allies will press for these barbarians to be brought before a court and charged with crimes against humanity. Tempting as it would be to put them on the same sort of show trial, the reason we all oppose them so strongly is we don't share their corrupt set of values. Speak up, and know you have much support. Don't let go.

Posted by Stephen Forshaw on May 28, 2009 at 04:00 PM BST #

It was with dismay that I read in Saturday's The Daily Telegraph that the courts in Burma have rejected Aung San Suu Kyi's appeal against her recent sentence. Can I ask what the UK Governement has done since May this year to the present to persuade the Burmese Junta to release, not only Suu Kyi, but also the thousands of other political prisoners being held? May I also ask what is the UK Government's future strategy to achieve this goal?

Posted by George McKnight on October 07, 2009 at 11:50 AM BST #

Post a Comment:
  • HTML Syntax: NOT allowed