For Immediate Release: December 14th, 2004
Contact: Jeremy Woodrum at 202-223-0300

(Washington,
DC) The United States Campaign for Burma today
condemned Thailand’s Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra for labeling the incarceration of
1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu
Kyi “reasonable” and claiming her
release could lead to the disintegration of
Burma.

After returning from a half day trip to Burma,
during which he met with the Burmese military
regime’s top leader Than Shwe, Prime Minister
Thaksin stated: “These are the reasons
they gave (for holding Suu Kyi), which are reasonable
enough and convincing, because I have witnessed
many things in their process.”

The comments make Thaksin the only leader in
the world to be convinced of the need for the
incarceration of Suu Kyi, the world’s only imprisoned
Nobel laureate.

Thaksin’s opinion stands in stark contrast to
recent demands by other world leaders. His comments,
given on his weekly radio broadcast on Dec 11,
came one day after the European Union issued
a declaration condemning the Burmese regime’s
detention of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
The EU demanded the immediate and unconditional
release of Suu Kyi. A few days earlier, US President
George W. Bush condemned the detention of Suu
Kyi. Regional leaders Indonesia and Malaysia
also called for the immediate release of Suu
Kyi. Indonesia suggested that Burma may not
be allowed to host an important regional summit
in 2006 unless Burma makes serious progress
toward democracy.

Aung Din, a former political prisoner in Burma
and policy director of US Campaign for Burma,
said “Prime Minister Thaksin is steadily
isolating himself from international opinion
toward Burma. His comments show that he is only
interested in expanding his personal wealth”.

Thaksin, through his immediate family, maintains
holdings in major corporations doing business
with Burma. Earlier this year the Burmese regime
commenced a contract through one of Thaksin’s
family firms, which was funded through a grant
paid for by Thai taxpayers. The deal has come
under sharp criticism in the Thai parliament
and press.

Suu Kyi has spent the majority of the past 15
years under house arrest. Her first house arrest
lasted almost six years from July 1989 to June
1995. Her second house arrest lasted 19 months
between October 2000 and May 2002. She was arrested
again on May 30, 2003 after the Burmese regime
botched an attempt to assassinate her during
her organizing trip in central Burma. Even though
Suu Kyi survived the attack, scores of her political
supporters were beaten to death with clubs,
spears, and iron rods.

The regime subsequently arrested her, claiming
it was for her own protection. However, the
regime recently changed its explanation and
extended the incarceration, claiming she is
a threat to state security.

The extension earned condemnation from the EU,
US, Italy, Germany, Norway, Ireland, Singapore,
Malaysia, the Philippines, New Zealand, and
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The US State
Department has suggested the United States may
boycott a major 2006 summit of the Association
of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), scheduled
to be held in Burma in 2006, unless the regime
initiates a transition to democracy.

Under the Thaksin administration, Thailand has
become the leading defender of the Burmese military
regime, heading off international criticism
at regional meetings and attempting to sideline
Suu Kyi from Burma’s political future.

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