Tuesday, May 07, 2002
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By Amit Baruah
Myanmar's democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, makes her way through a crowd of supporters after being freed from house arrest on Monday.
There had been intense speculation in the last few days about Ms. Suu Kyi's release in Yangon, the second such event in seven years. A Government announcement later said the country was turning a "new page.'' Ms. Suu Kyi (56), who came out of her lakeside residence to a rousing reception from supporters, later spoke to the NLD leadership and the press at the party's headquarters. The 1991 Nobel laureate and daughter of the Burmese national hero, Aung San, clarified that her freedom was unconditional and that she was free to go wherever she wanted. ``I hope to be able to carry out my duties for my party and my country in the best possible way,'' Ms. Suu Kyi was quoted as saying. Ms. Suu Kyi, who was placed under house arrest in September 2000 for defying a Government ban on travelling out of Yangon, said talks between her and the military authorities were now at a stage when substantive issues about the country's future could be addressed. ``The phase of confidence-building is over and we look forward to moving ahead,'' she told reporters. Clearly, there is no "larger agreement'' under which Ms. Suu Kyi has been freed, but there does appear to be a "larger process'' of dialogue between the NLD and the military Government under which the release took place. ``My release should not be looked at as a major breakthrough for democracy. For all people in Burma to enjoy basic freedom — that would be the major breakthrough,'' she said. On when the country would become democratic, Ms. Suu Kyi said: "I hope not in too many years.'' Thanking the United Nations Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, for facilitating the talks between her and the military authorities, she said: "I am very grateful for the role that the U.N. has played and for what Mr. Razali has done. I am cautiously optimistic.''
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