Prague May 14, 2009
Dear Secretary General,
I was shocked today to learn that the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dawn
Aung San Suu Kyi, together with two other people, was taken to prison
and charged with violating the rules and regulations of her house arrest.
This deplorable action by Burmese military dictatorship took place only
two weeks before her latest six-year detention is due to expire on May
27.
As you and the rest of the civilized world know, after the last free
elections 20 years ago, whose results were denied to the Burmese people
by the military junta, Daw Aung San Suu kyi has spent 13 out of the
last 19 years under house arrest during which she was constantly harassed,
denied medical treatment, cut off from information from the outside
world, prevented from communicating with her friends and supporters,
and on one occasion, 6 years ago this month, was nearly assassinated.
After years and countless calls on the junta to adhere to international
rules and standards, the international community somehow got used to
the fact that even elementary dialogue with the junta is impossible
and that hundreds of thousands refugees from Burma are a fact of life
and that nothing can be done about it. The latest developments should
serve as a wake up call.
Excellency, on May 18, the junta plans to begin a trial with Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and three other people using a bizarre incident as a pretext.
If the defendants are convicted by this absurd court they face up to
5 years in prison. Given Daw Aung San Suu Kyi´s fragile health and
harsh conditions in Burmese prison I am gravely concerned about her
life. I, therefore, call on you to do everything in your power to procur
the immediate and unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She
is not alone. The junta has jailed over 2100 political prisoners. Your
personal intervention is urgently needed to prevent this mockery of
a trial from going forward.
Sincerely
Vaclav Havel
