Kofi Annan also urges India to intervene

New Delhi: Asian Centre for Human Rights today urged President APJ Abdul Kalam to demand the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from her house arrest during his discussion with State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) of Myanmar. President Kalam will undertake first ever visit by the Indian Head of State to Myanmar from today, the International Women's Day.

"No one is suggesting that the government of India should not engage with the junta but engagement must be critical and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi who has spent 10 years in house arrest must form an integral part of the engagement. It would be unfortunate if President Kalam cannot even demand the release of Suu Kyi, a recipient of Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding, from her house arrest, especially when he undertakes the visit to Myanmar on International Women's Day", stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of Asian Centre for Human Rights.

The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in his report "situation of human rights in Myanmar" to the forthcoming session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights from 13 March 2006 has also called upon "particularly China, India and ASEAN member States, to encourage the Myanmar authorities to accelerate the pace of their political, economic and socio-humanitarian reform." Kofi Annan also deplored the lack of progress for national reconciliation processes and urged the UN Security Council to request the Myanmar authorities to allow the Secretary-General to fully implement his good offices mandate as provided by the General Assembly.