Restore Aung San Suu Kyi her right to travel in her own country
Restore democracy to Burma

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), has once again been prevented from travelling out of Rangoon, ostensibly because she has not observed "proper security arrangements". Together with other NLD leaders, she is now camped out in a car for the 9th night running (as of 1 Sept).

Two years ago, Suu Kyi was also prevented from travelling out of her home in Rangoon and was forced to spend 13 nights in her car until dehydration brought her standoff with the Burmese military authorities to an end. Based on that experience, she has brought along with her extra water and supplies this time. Villagers in the surrounding area have also provided her and other NLD leaders with food and water. No doubt she will hold her ground much longer this time.

Aliran joins the world in condemning the Burmese military regime and offering Aung San Suu Kyi our moral support. The regime's restrictions exposes the sham that she is no longer under house arrest. In fact she is not allowed to travel freely in her own country.

ASEAN governments, which have argued that "constructive engagement" with the military junta in Burma has brought about an opening of the country, have a responsibility towards ensuring that Aung San Suu Kyi fundamental rights are restored.

More than that, the ASEAN governments have a responsibility to force the Burmese military junta to begin serious negotiations with Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD to restore democracy to Burma. (Some 82 per cent of voter in Burma had voted for the NLD in the 1990 national elections.) Alternatively, they should disallow the Burmese military authorities from representing Burma in ASEAN.