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| Southeast Asia |
| Myanmar Blames Suu Kyi for Deadlock |
| 2003-06-12 |
| YANGON, Myanmar - Myanmar's military government on Thursday ignored international criticism of its detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and instead blamed her opposition party for the nation's political deadlock. "Damn those freedom lovers! They've complicated everthing!" World leaders have pressed the junta to release the Nobel Peace laureate, whisked away nearly two weeks ago after a clash between her supporters and a pro-government mob in northern Myanmar. At least four people were killed. The United Nations and many world leaders have urged the government to release Suu Kyi immediately, and the U.S. Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved economic penalties against Myanmar, also known as Burma. Also Wednesday, President Bush joined Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in calling for ``an immediate substantive political dialogue'' in Myanmar. The junta said it ``fully appreciates the suggestion'' from the two leaders and shares their view that a democratic and prosperous Myanmar is important to the stability of Southeast Asia. "Not that you'll see either while we're in charge!" ``That's why the government's two main goals have been the transition to a market economy, and the transition to multiparty democracy,'' the government said in a statement. "Hang on, this transition is going to take a while about thirty years or so. It made no reference to Suu Kyi's detention since May 30 and the breakdown in its 2 year-old U.N.-sponsored reconciliation dialogue with the Nobel laureate. Instead, the junta criticized Suu Kyi's party for its 1995 withdrawal from a national convention to draft a constitution that democracy activists labeled a sham because most delegates were hand-picked by the military. ``The government is fully committed to the national reconciliation process Colin didn't buy it. ``It it time for the United States to reassess its policy toward a military dictatorship that has repeatedly attacked democracy and jailed its heros,'' Powell said in an editorial Thursday in the Wall Street Journal. Wonder if the thugs understand how a JDAM can ruin one's day? |
| Posted by:Steve White |