Aung San Suu Kyi May be Freed Soon by Myanmar's Military Junta

As the APEC meeting in Singapore with US President Barack Obama in attendance draws closer, Myanmar's military rulers are again hinting on the relaxation of certain internal rules to give way for the possible release of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar's pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi may be freed soon by the country's military rulers after more than two decades of incarceration, according to a senior Myanmar diplomat. Min Lwin, Director of Myanmar's Foreign Ministry, hinted on the possible release of the pro-democracy icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Philstar.com reports:

"There is a plan to release her soon ... so she can organize her party," Min Lwin, a director-general in the Foreign Ministry, told The Associated Press at the Manila airport before boarding a flight to Singapore en route to Yangon. He refused to elaborate, and it was not clear if he meant that Suu Kyi would be allowed to campaign.

Sometimes in 1990, the country's military rulers called for a general election which the National League for Democracy , headed by Suu Kyi won overwhelmingly with a margin of over 80% of the votes. Instead of allowing Suu Kyi to rule on account of her party's victory, the Nobel Peace prize winner was instead arrested and put into prison together with about 2,000 of her supporters. Suu Kyi has been on house arrest for more than a decade and during this long period of confinement, she was not allowed by her captors to talk and meet with the members of her party and her supporters. She was likewise prohibited from meeting with representatives of non-government organizations and the press. Occasionally, she is allowed to see her doctor and some diplomats, with prior clearance from the military Junta. The news about the possible release of Suu Kyi came amid the scheduled visit of US President Barack Obama to Singapore on November 15 to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The visit will give Obama the opportunity to make contact with the heads of governments comprising the APEC for which Myanmar is a member. Economic sanctions against Myanmar for the long awaited economic reforms are still in effect and will remain so until a reasonable degree of democratic reforms are in place. Member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through its individual heads of governments have been urging the military-ruled nation to work on the long-demanded democratic reforms. Some of the Asean member nations have in the past moved for the suspension of Myanmar as member of the Asean due to its continued refusal to institute democratic reforms.