Aung San Suu Kyi honoured with Dundee freedom award

Solomon
Wednesday, 03 September 2008 22:42

New Delhi - Burma's imprisoned pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been honoured with the 'Dundee freedom award' for her courageous struggle to restore human rights and democracy in Burma by the Dundee City Council of Scotland in a ceremony on Wednesday night'.
"The Freedom of Dundee [award], made in recognition of her [Aung San Suu Kyi] achievements in the service of democracy, is the highest honour that the city can bestow," a spokesperson of the Dundee City Council told Mizzima in an email message.



But being under house arrest, the Burmese democracy icon, will not be able to receive the award. The award will be received on her behalf by Anna Roberts the director of the Burma Campaign United Kingdom, a group that has been vigorously advocating for human rights and democracy in Burma.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been under some form of detention or the other for more than 12 of the past 18 years. Her latest incarceration was in May 2003, following a brutal attack on her motorcade by junta-backed mobs in upper Burma.

The City Council spokesperson said the award is a symbol of support to Aung San Suu Kyi in her struggle and is a signal calling for her immediate release.

"It [the award] signals the council's support for Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate release from house arrest and the restoration of a democratic government in Burma," the spokesperson said.

Anna Roberts, in a telephone interview with Mizzima, said the award helps in keeping Aung San Suu Kyi's ongoing detention in the spotlight and also helps in spreading awareness about other political prisoners in military-ruled Burma.

"This is a very prestigious award from the Scottish council," Roberts said.

The award was initially proposed by Lord Provost of Dundee, John Letford in a meeting of City Councillors in June. The councillors unanimously decided to grant the award to Aung San Suu Kyi as her struggle is similar to the former South Africa leader Nelson Mandela, who was honoured with the same award in 1985, the spokesman said.

The spokesperson quoted John Letford as saying "For many years Aung San Suu Kyi has been the best, and perhaps the only, hope, that Burma will be free from oppression."

The award came amidst widespread rumours among Burmese as well as the international community that Daw Aung san Suu Kyi is refusing to accept food supplies, which has led many to speculate that she might be on hunger strike.

While the information remains unconfirmed, her spokesperson said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has refused to accept her weekly food supplies since mid-August.

Another action that sparked speculation is her refusal to meet the visiting UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari in August.

Nyan Win said it might be because she is frustrated with the UN's mission as it has failed to make any political breakthrough in the country.

"We know that she is increasingly frustrated with the UN's process," said Roberts, adding that all the UN envoys that have visited Burma for the past 20 years have failed to initiate a process of reform.

Roberts said the international community needed a much stronger action on Burma, by setting a timeframe to implement reforms, for which the matter needs to be discussed at the UN Security Council.