After eight years, Myanmar’s opposition leader will be able to travel around Yangon province to promote her campaign in favour of democracy and human rights. The Nobel Prize winner hopes to see the United States renew its sanctions against Myanmar because there has not been "sufficient improvement" in the country.” The government’s recent release of a small number of dissidents is not an amnesty but an act of “clemency”.
Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Aung San Suu Kyi could soon be travelling to areas outside Yangon to campaign on behalf of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). The Nobel Prize laureate made the announcement today during a meeting with reporters. For now, she will limit her movements to areas around the former Burmese capital, and avoid the rest of the country.
Burma’s main opposition leader has spent 15 of the past 21 years under house arrest. The terms of her detention ended in November, a few days after the country’s parliamentary elections.
Right after her release, Ms Suu Kyi stressed her desire to continue her struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar. However, she chose not to leave the city fearing possible attacks (see “Junta to jail people who complain about election fraud, warns Aung San Suu Kyi,” in AsiaNews 17 November 2010).
In the past, Burmese authorities prevented Aung San Suu Kyi from travelling around the country fearing her popularity might spur dissent against its military rulers.
The last legal action taken against the NLD leader came in May 2003, in the wake of an attack against her motorcade in Depayin, northern Burma. She did not suffer any injuries in the incident, but dozens of NLD sympathisers lost their lives.
After a meeting with US diplomat Joseph Yun, Ms Suu Kyi talked about US economic sanctions against Myanmar. She said that she hoped US President Barack Obama would renew them because there has not been "sufficient improvement" in the country.
Commenting on the recent release of about 17,000 prisoners, Suu Kyi said that she would not call it an amnesty, but rather an act of "clemency” (see “Release of 36 Burmese activists a “pathetic response” to demands for democracy,” in AsiaNews 18 May 2011).
Jampa Pelsang was arrested in 1996 during a “re-education campaign” ordered by Chinese authorities against Tibetan monks. He was arrested for resisting the campaign along with dozens of other monks, many of whom died during their years in prison.
Dharamsala (AsiaNews) – Monk Jampa Pelsang aka Puloe died on 23 May. He had been released from Chushul prison on 6 May in very serious conditions. He had spent 15 years in prison for opposing a “re-education campaign” launched by Chinese authorities in May 1996 against the monasteries of Sera, Gaden and Drepung in Lhasa, Tibet.
In May 1996, Chinese authorities began their campaign by banning all photos of the Dalai Lama (it is still a criminal offence to have one) and preventing monks from praying in order to force them to take part in indoctrination meetings.
Monks reacted by staging a protest, telling government officials to leave. The military responded by taking over the monasteries and violently crushing the protest. Two monks, Gelek Jinpa and Dorjee, were wounded, and more than 100 were thrown out.
Dozens were arrested between 5 and 7 May. Jampa was taken into custody on 6 May 1996, along with another 62 monks. Thirty-two were handed down sentences ranging from one to 15 years in prison, whilst the others were sent to “re-education-through-labour” camps, i.e. forced labour camps.
Viewed as the leader of the protest movement, Jampa received 15 years, which he purged in the prisons of Lhasa, Drapchi and Chushul.
Born in Dri-gung, Meldro Gungkar County (Lhasa), he had entered the Gaden Monastery at an early age.
Tenzin Yeshi was convicted along with Jampa. He too died soon after his release.
Lobsang Wangchuk, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison, died in Drapchi prison on 4 May 1998, shot by a guard during a peaceful protest.
Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Aung San Suu Kyi could soon be travelling to areas outside Yangon to campaign on behalf of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). The Nobel Prize laureate made the announcement today during a meeting with reporters. For now, she will limit her movements to areas around the former Burmese capital, and avoid the rest of the country. 
