Building Solidarity for Burmese Democrats

Democracy Alert

[July 17, 2003]

Building Solidarity for Burmese Democrats

Asia
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For the third time in 14 years, the Burmese military junta has once again detained Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. On May 30, the junta placed her and at least 17 other officials of her political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), under "protective custody," following a lethal, night-time attack on her convoy by members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, a government-backed organization. According to military officials, four people were killed and 50 injured in the attack. However, eye-witnesses report up to 70 people died in the attack. The Burmese government will not disclose where Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues are being held. The attacks were the bloodiest events in Burma since the popular democracy uprising in 1988, when it is believed that 10,000 people died.

Aung San Suu Kyi was released from 19 months of house arrest in May 2002, with promises of increased freedom and mobility. She spent the last few months touring Burma, attracting large crowds of supporters and, according to press reports, growing harassment by government party members. Following the May 30 incident, the government shut down the country's universities as well as scores of NLD party offices. The recent attacks dashed any hope for substantive dialogue between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese government. The United States and European countries are considering tougher sanctions, and Japan has frozen all new assistance to Burma.

To take action on Burma,

For more information about the events of May 30, visit:

Additional statements and appeals by World Movement participants include: