Myanmar

Suu Kyi's house arrest extended, 16 arrested

Article published on the 2008-05-27 Latest update 2008-05-27 14:42 TU

Aung San Suu Kyi
(Photo: AFP)

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest sentence was extended one more year on Tuesday, a few hours after 30 of her supporters tried to march towards her home. Security forces broke up the protest and arrested 16, including a 12-year-old boy, said her National League for Democracy party (NLD).

As the NLD held a ceremony to mark its 1990 election victory, six police trucks were stationed outside its rundown headquarters, according to witnesses.

The ruling military junta in Myanmar has been accused of callousness by delaying aid in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis that killed 133,000 people and left 2.4 million lacking food. During the aftermath, the government held a referendum on a proposed constitution. It declared an overwhelming victory Monday.

The junta announced that 98 per cent of voters turned out to vote this month, with 92 per cent in favour of their democracy plan, despite the fact that many still lack food, medecine and shelter. The plan has been described by the opposition as a "sham", giving the army even more power on the isolated country.

The plight of Myanmar's people has overshadowed the political situation in Myanmar. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a rare opportunity for encounter, met with the country's generals last week in the capital, but focused on humanitarian aid to the people, not the political situation.