OTTAWA—After American reporter John Yetta swam across a river to visit Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy leader was arrested by the ruling military regime and charged with violating house arrest, under which she has been living for much of the past 18 years.
A group of Burmese and their supporters gathered in front of the Burmese Embassy Monday to speak out against the arrest and to call for Suu Kyi’s immediate release.
In addition to rallies in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, Burmese groups held events in over 30 countries, calling on their governments to put sanctions on Burma and to condemn the unfair arrest of Suu Kyi.
CFOB (Canadian Friends of Burma) executive director Tin Maung Htoo said he believes the military rulers are just testing the waters to see how far they can push the international community as they maintain power by removing the one person who has the hearts of the Burmese people.
He said the junta arrested Suu Kyi to eliminate any opposition and thus prevent a true democratic process from occurring in the 2010 election.
“If the international community’s response is not strong enough they will do whatever they want to do. They wouldn’t really allow any opposition to run in the election,” Tin said.
“This American made a big mistake; he couldn’t foresee what would happen, especially the timing—so close to when her house arrest would expire. So of course the military is taking advantage of this accident. She is innocent.”
Tin said there is also the possibility that the incident was a setup. Because it was reported in the junta’s mouthpiece publication, New Light of Myanmar, he thinks that could well be the case.
“When you look at [Yetta’s] personality it seems the military just took advantage of the situation.”
A group of Burmese and their supporters gathered in front of the Burmese Embassy Monday to speak out against the arrest and to call for Suu Kyi’s immediate release.
In addition to rallies in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, Burmese groups held events in over 30 countries, calling on their governments to put sanctions on Burma and to condemn the unfair arrest of Suu Kyi.
CFOB (Canadian Friends of Burma) executive director Tin Maung Htoo said he believes the military rulers are just testing the waters to see how far they can push the international community as they maintain power by removing the one person who has the hearts of the Burmese people.
He said the junta arrested Suu Kyi to eliminate any opposition and thus prevent a true democratic process from occurring in the 2010 election.
“If the international community’s response is not strong enough they will do whatever they want to do. They wouldn’t really allow any opposition to run in the election,” Tin said.
“This American made a big mistake; he couldn’t foresee what would happen, especially the timing—so close to when her house arrest would expire. So of course the military is taking advantage of this accident. She is innocent.”
Tin said there is also the possibility that the incident was a setup. Because it was reported in the junta’s mouthpiece publication, New Light of Myanmar, he thinks that could well be the case.
“When you look at [Yetta’s] personality it seems the military just took advantage of the situation.”
Former MP David Kilgour, who spoke at the rally, said Suu Kyi’s arrest “shines a spotlight on the misgovernance of the junta running Burma since 1962.”
“One of the world’s most respected leaders is today facing a bizarre criminal trial. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, along with two female companions, was arrested and imprisoned in the notorious Insein prison in Rangoon because someone trespassed in to her home,” he said.
“No independent judge would convict her. The matter will show the world once again whether the rule of law and independent courts really exist in Burma today.”
Abbey Pollonetsky, one of several Quakers with an interest in human rights who attended the rally, said “to have Aung San Suu Kyi railroaded like this is disgusting, and I think Burmese Embassy officials should be evicted from Canada because Aung was a legitimately elected Prime Minister of the country.”
Fellow Quaker Mike Gifford became interested in Burma when some professors at Ottawa’s Carleton University organized a protest several years ago. He believes the Yetta incident “was a trumped up way to arrest the democratically elected leader of Burma.”
He said the dictatorship should be sanctioned by the UN and that countries should start supporting efforts for democracy in Burma, also called Myanmar.
“There is so much more the Canadian government could do on this issue. The Burmese refugees in Thailand don’t know where their next meal is coming from, so they need support from countries like Canada.”
“I believe in supporting Aung San Suu Kyi and freeing her,” said Jean-Guy Simard, retired military officer, who travelled from Montreal to support the rally.
“Unless the government is thrown out of the country, what happened with the reporter just adds another act to their play,” he said.
Suu Kyi was made an honourary Canadian citizen on 5 May, 2008 by the Conservative government.
Yin-Yin from Burma found the arrest “unacceptable” and wants her to be released as soon as possible.
“[Suu Kyi] should not be there because she is not a criminal she is totally innocent. I would rather put myself in there instead of her,” she said.
Kilgour predicted that if Suu Kyi is convicted, “many around Canada and the world will hope that the UN Security Council and the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] governments will pressure the generals to achieve her immediate release.”
He then gave a list of groups who would call for charging General Than Shwe with crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court if the UN did not act.
“One of the world’s most respected leaders is today facing a bizarre criminal trial. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, along with two female companions, was arrested and imprisoned in the notorious Insein prison in Rangoon because someone trespassed in to her home,” he said.
“No independent judge would convict her. The matter will show the world once again whether the rule of law and independent courts really exist in Burma today.”
Abbey Pollonetsky, one of several Quakers with an interest in human rights who attended the rally, said “to have Aung San Suu Kyi railroaded like this is disgusting, and I think Burmese Embassy officials should be evicted from Canada because Aung was a legitimately elected Prime Minister of the country.”
Fellow Quaker Mike Gifford became interested in Burma when some professors at Ottawa’s Carleton University organized a protest several years ago. He believes the Yetta incident “was a trumped up way to arrest the democratically elected leader of Burma.”
He said the dictatorship should be sanctioned by the UN and that countries should start supporting efforts for democracy in Burma, also called Myanmar.
“There is so much more the Canadian government could do on this issue. The Burmese refugees in Thailand don’t know where their next meal is coming from, so they need support from countries like Canada.”
“I believe in supporting Aung San Suu Kyi and freeing her,” said Jean-Guy Simard, retired military officer, who travelled from Montreal to support the rally.
“Unless the government is thrown out of the country, what happened with the reporter just adds another act to their play,” he said.
Suu Kyi was made an honourary Canadian citizen on 5 May, 2008 by the Conservative government.
Yin-Yin from Burma found the arrest “unacceptable” and wants her to be released as soon as possible.
“[Suu Kyi] should not be there because she is not a criminal she is totally innocent. I would rather put myself in there instead of her,” she said.
Kilgour predicted that if Suu Kyi is convicted, “many around Canada and the world will hope that the UN Security Council and the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] governments will pressure the generals to achieve her immediate release.”
He then gave a list of groups who would call for charging General Than Shwe with crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court if the UN did not act.
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