Former world leaders urge Myanmar to free Suu Kyi

Oslo, May 15: More than 50 former heads of state and government appealed to Myanmar to free opposition leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

The signatories to the letter published in Oslo included former US presidents Jimmy Carter, George Bush and Bill Clinton and former Polish and South Korean presidents, Lech Walesa and Kim Dae-jung, both also Nobel Peace Prize winners.

''We strongly urge you to respond to the United Nations and countless other countries and regional groupings around the world by releasing Aung San Suu Kyi before May 27,'' the letter said.

Suu Kyi, 61, has been under house arrest in the Myanmar capital, Yangon, for more than 11 of the past 17 years. Her most recent term of house arrest is scheduled to end on May 27.

She led her National League for Democracy party and its allies to victory in Myanmar's last democratic election in 1990 but the military refused to recognise the results.

Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violent, pro-democracy campaign under military rule.

''We call on the government of Myanmar to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi unconditionally and to free all the remaining political prisoners,'' the letter said. ''We believe this would give a significant sign of the government's will to initiate a genuine and effective transition towards democracy,'' the letter said.

Reuters>