Celebrities join online campaign

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 » 11:16pm

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and celebrities including actor George Clooney have added their voices to an online petition calling for the freeing of Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

The '64 for Aung San Suu Kyi' campaign wants her 64th birthday on June 19 to be the last she spends under house arrest.

The campaign has been launched in Britain as Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial behind closed doors on charges of violating the conditions of her house arrest after a US man, John Yettaw, swam across a lake to her home.

It also comes as her supporters marked on Wednesday the 19th anniversary of the National League for Democracy election win which was annulled by the military regime, leading to party leader Aung San Suu Kyi being placed under house arrest in 2003.

Brown's message, released by his office on Wednesday, says: 'I add my voice to the growing chorus of those demanding your release. For too long the world has failed to act in the face of this intolerable injustice. That is now changing.

'The clamour for your release is growing across Europe, Asia, and the entire world. We must do all we can to make this birthday the last you spend without your freedom.'

The website also includes a letter signed by members of the 'Not on Our Watch' campaign, including Clooney and U2 frontman Bono.

They say: 'Nineteen years ago, the Burmese people chose Aung San Suu Kyi as their next leader.

'For most of those 19 years she has been kept under house arrest by the military junta that runs the country.

'We must not stand by as she is silenced again. Now is the time for the international community to speak with one voice: Free Aung San Suu Kyi.'

Her trial has sparked international outrage, with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday calling on Burma's military rulers to 'immediately and unconditionally' release her.

Aung San Suu Kyi told the trial judges on Tuesday she had not breached the terms of her house arrest, saying that she had only offered 'temporary shelter' to Yettaw.

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