National League for Democracy: Special Statement No. 16/09/08 (Unofficial Translation)

National League for Democracy: Special Statement No. 16/09/08 (Unofficial Translation)
Fri 5 Sep 2008
Filed under: News, Statement
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, general secretary of the National League for Democracy, is the daughter of General Aung San, the founding father of Burma’s armed forces, a selfless architect of independence that enabled Burma to become a sovereign nation, and a martyr of the nation who gave his life for the country and the people.




Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the leader of the National League for Democracy, a party which won an overwhelming support of the constituents in an election conducted in a fair and free manner, and she is also a political leader who is trusted by all the ethnic and democratic forces.

Since 1989, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has persistently called for and endeavored for the emergence of a genuinely meaningful political dialog so that a political compromise can be reached and national reconciliation achieved in the interests of the nation and the people. For this reason, the National League for Democracy profoundly believes that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi must inevitably be involved in all political and development programs of Burma.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is presently under house arrest, unlawfully being detained under the “Law to Safeguard the State against the Dangers of Those Desiring to Cause Subversive Acts”. Additionally, the authorities introduced measures which are not part of the original restrictions. It is, therefore, vital to rescind these measures immediately because Article 9 of that law states that “In restricting fundamental rights of citizens, the following principles shall be strictly adhered to:

Section 9(b): “Only necessary restriction of fundamental rights shall be decided”.

Section 9(c): “The duration of such restriction shall be kept to a minimum”, and

Section 9(f): “The person against whom action is taken shall enjoy the fundamental rights as provided in the Constitution, in so far as these rights have not been restricted”

We have now come to learn that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi no longer accepts the food basket which is delivered to her home daily. The majority of the people and the National League for Democracy are concerned that this practice has been going on for about three weeks now.

We have learned that she stopped accepting the food basket because of the following reasons:

-To protest her unlawful detention under Section 10 (b)* of the aforesaid law,
-Daw Khin Khin Win and her daughter, who are helping her at home, are being persecuted and unlawfully being treated as if they are also being detained under Section 10 (b)
-The authorities had promised to let the family doctor visit her every month at the time of her detention but they did not let the doctor visit her between January and August this year.

Hence, we hereby declare that we hold the authorities who are unlawfully detaining Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to be responsible for her “life security and longevity”.

As per decision made by the Central Executive Committee meeting on 4 September 2008,

Rangoon
Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy
No. 97B West Shwegondine Street
Bahan Township, Rangoon

The sixth waxing moon of Tawthalin 1370

[*The following footnote is an input by the translator]

Article 10

The Central Board, in the protection of the State against dangers, has the right to implement the following measures through restrictive order:

(b) If necessary, the movements of a person against whom action is taken can be restricted for a period of up to one year.