Myanmar urged to relent on Suu Kyi

Southeast Asian nations appealed Tuesday to Myanmar to free Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy leader who has spent more than 11 of the last 17 years in detention.

Calls for Suu Kyi's freedom have been growing as she completes her latest detention term Sunday. The military government has given no indication it intends to release her from house arrest, and it is expected to renew its detention order.

The Nobel Peace laureate has given a face to the junta's history of political repression. Many nations have condemned her confinement, including Myanmar's fellow members in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"It's a consensus that we want to see her early release," Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio said. "We'd like to see the lifting of the order."

He was speaking at a meeting of senior ASEAN diplomats to prepare for the annual meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Manila in July. The Philippines also will host a meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia's largest security forum, in August.

Myanmar's delegate, Aung Bwa, said he was unaware if his government would extend Suu Kyi's detention. "Let's wait and see," he said.

Suu Kyi, head of the National League for Democracy party, has been held continuously since May 30, 2003, when her motorcade was attacked by a mob during a political tour of northern Myanmar.

ASEAN has often pressed Myanmar to democratize, a familiar refrain at the 10-nation bloc's annual meetings.

Imron Cotan, who led Indonesia's delegation, expressed impatience. "We have made these calls repeatedly, and Myanmar has found it difficult to respond," he said.

In Bangkok, visiting Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill urged Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, to free Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

"The continued incarceration or house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi is one of several issues that's posing a real blockage in terms of Burma being able to rejoin the international community," Hill told reporters.

Last week, President Bush told Congress that he intended to continue U.S. economic and political sanctions against Myanmar.

Although bound by an ASEAN edict not to interfere in each other's affairs, some members, like Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, have become more blunt in their criticism of Myanmar.

Authoritarian members, like Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, have adopted a friendlier attitude and have refused to engage use stinging words against the ruling generals.

Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962, and the current leaders took power in 1988. They called elections in 1990, but refused to recognize the results when Suu Kyi's party won a resounding victory.

Myanmar should have been the ASEAN chairman and host of the regional summit this year, but it gave up the chance amid protests by Western governments. The prestigious chairmanship, rotated alphabetically among all members, was abruptly passed on to the Philippines.