Maldives Calls for Release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Holding of Democratic Elections in Burma

The Maldives today cosponsored a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council calling for the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy in Burma and elected leader of the country who has nevertheless spent most of the past twenty years in detention. Since assuming Office in November last year, President Nasheed, himself a former prisoner of conscience, has, on a number of occasions, called for the release of Ms. Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, most recently at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The resolution expresses grave concern at the recent conviction and sentencing of Ms. Suu Kyi, and calls for her immediate and unconditional release. It also calls on the ruling military junta in Burma, which seized power following her 1990 General Election victory, to release all political prisoners enabling them to participate fully in the 2010 elections; to engage in a genuine process of open dialogue and national reconciliation; and to create the conditions for inclusive, transparent and credible democratic elections.

The Maldives has been widely praised among the human rights community in Geneva for the leadership role it has taken in the negotiation of the resolution which ultimately allowed it to be adopted without a vote.

Speaking after the adoption of the Resolution, Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed said:

“Because of its own recent history, which like Burma, has seen the free will of the many suppressed by the power of the few, and also because of the personal experiences of President Nasheed who was himself imprisoned for his political beliefs; the Maldives has emerged as a strong international advocate of the restoration of democracy in Burma and for the release of the country’s political leaders.

We are proud to have stepped forward today in defence of civil liberties in Burma and we hope that the Resolution will demonstrate the will of the international community to see, in 2010, free and fair elections in Burma and a brighter future for its people.

Our sponsorship of this important resolution is yet another demonstration, allied to our work at the Human Rights Council on freedom of expression and women’s rights, and the key role played by President Nasheed at recent United Nations meetings in New York, of a new Maldives leadership on key issues of international concern such as climate change, democracy promotion and human rights”.