NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT UNION OF BURMA
PRESS RELEASE
The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma is deeply concerned byPRESS RELEASE
developments taking shape in Burma.
The democracy leader is reported to have dangerously low blood pressure and to be suffering
severe dehydration, requiring her to be on an intravenous drip.
Reports of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's desperately ailing health and of the subsequent arrest of her
physician indicate the regime is preparing to face the wave of outcry over her incarceration as
calls for her unconditional release build.
Last year at the end of May, the Burmese generals extended the house arrest of Burma's
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi by one more year, which was declared by the United
Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions as unlawful because it "not only violates
international law but also national domestic laws". Burma's 1975 State Protection Law only
allows renewable arrest orders for a maximum of five years.
The time for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's long-overdue release -- she has already spent 13 of 19
years under detention -- is up once again at the end of May. Pressure is increasing on the
Burmese regime to release the democracy leader, along with thousands of other political
prisoners, as a means of giving some democratic credibility to national elections scheduled for
2010.
As this situation unfolds, sketchy reports of a breach of security by an American citizen named
John Yeattaw at the heavily-guarded residence of the Nobel Peace Laureate have emerged. He is
said to have stayed at the democracy leader's house for 2 days after swimming across Inya Lake
near her home, before attempting to escape across the lake again, where he was apparently
arrested.
This bizarre incident looks to be a characteristically surreal set-up.
Even though the intruder's antics may not amount to much -- and were obviously undertaken
without Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's knowledge -- they provide an opportunity for the Burmese
generals to use it as an excuse to continue detaining her.
Prime Minister, Dr. Sein Win, who is also Aung San Suu Kyi's cousin, expressed grave fears for
the democracy leader; “Her personal physician is not allowed to meet her and is now being
detained at an undisclosed location. His assistant who checked Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was
prevented from treating her last weekend. She must be given medical care immediately.”
“The situation is very troubling."
"Under no circumstances must the international community tolerate the generals continuing the
detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It must act together and prevent injustices from continuing
in our country," said Dr Sein Win.
