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UN seeks access to held Myanmar opposition leader
Yangon, June 04: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi spent a fifth day in custody today as the United Nations sought access to her ahead of the arrival of a top envoy of Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Yangon, June 04: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
spent a fifth day in custody today as the United Nations sought
access to her ahead of the arrival of a top envoy of Secretary
General Kofi Annan.
The Nobel Peace laureate has been held at undisclosed locations since her detention on friday despite mounting calls on the junta to free her by the international community, including from US President George W Bush. An Asian diplomat close to UN special envoy Razali Ismail , due to arrive on friday for a five-day visit , said the veteran Malaysian diplomat was seeking access to Suu Kyi.
''Razali is not sure if he will be allowed to see her or not," said the diplomat. ''He will make his final decision on his visit at the very last moment as he feels the situation is not clear''.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, following his arrival at UN headquarters from the G-8 summit in Evian yesterday, said it was vital Razali visits Myanmar and is given access to Suu Kyi. The junta launched a fresh crackdown on dissent following clashes between Suu Kyi's supporters and pro-government groups late on friday, which the junta says left four dead and 50 hurt.
The junta responded by taking Suu Kyi and her top aides into ''protective custody'' and closing party offices around the country. It also closed all universities, seen as traditional hotbeds of unrest. Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Muang Win said on Tuesday that Razali was welcome to go ahead with his visit, planned some weeks ago, but hinted the junta may not grant him access to Suu Kyi.
He denied reports from exiled opposition sources that Suu Kyi had received a head injury during clashes on friday and that many more people had been killed.
Foreign diplomats in Yangon said on wednesday that they had been denied any contact with Suu kyi and other top members of her NLD party who hare being held house arrest. >BR>
Suu Kyi's NLD won 1990 election in Myanmar by a landslide, but has never been allowed to govern.
Suu Kyi has spent much of the last 14 years under house arrest. She ended her last stint in detention only a year ago and has since angered the military by drawing large crowds during a series of visits to supporters around the country.
Bureau report
The Nobel Peace laureate has been held at undisclosed locations since her detention on friday despite mounting calls on the junta to free her by the international community, including from US President George W Bush. An Asian diplomat close to UN special envoy Razali Ismail , due to arrive on friday for a five-day visit , said the veteran Malaysian diplomat was seeking access to Suu Kyi.
''Razali is not sure if he will be allowed to see her or not," said the diplomat. ''He will make his final decision on his visit at the very last moment as he feels the situation is not clear''.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, following his arrival at UN headquarters from the G-8 summit in Evian yesterday, said it was vital Razali visits Myanmar and is given access to Suu Kyi. The junta launched a fresh crackdown on dissent following clashes between Suu Kyi's supporters and pro-government groups late on friday, which the junta says left four dead and 50 hurt.
The junta responded by taking Suu Kyi and her top aides into ''protective custody'' and closing party offices around the country. It also closed all universities, seen as traditional hotbeds of unrest. Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Muang Win said on Tuesday that Razali was welcome to go ahead with his visit, planned some weeks ago, but hinted the junta may not grant him access to Suu Kyi.
He denied reports from exiled opposition sources that Suu Kyi had received a head injury during clashes on friday and that many more people had been killed.
Foreign diplomats in Yangon said on wednesday that they had been denied any contact with Suu kyi and other top members of her NLD party who hare being held house arrest. >BR>
Suu Kyi's NLD won 1990 election in Myanmar by a landslide, but has never been allowed to govern.
Suu Kyi has spent much of the last 14 years under house arrest. She ended her last stint in detention only a year ago and has since angered the military by drawing large crowds during a series of visits to supporters around the country.
Bureau report