On November 13th 2010 Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s pro democracy leader and Nobel Peace laureate, was released from captivity for the first time in 7 1/2 years. She has spent more than 15 years in detention, most of it under house arrest, and has come to symbolize the Burmese people’s struggle for freedom.
Six women laureates of the Nobel Women’s Initiative welcomed the release of their sister laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi with a written statement which originally appeared on the Nobel Women’s Initiative website. They’ve graciously allowed us to share it with you all here:
We women Nobel Peace Laureates welcome our sister Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to her freedom from detention. For years she has been unjustly confined to her home and denied the opportunity to see her family and friends, to participate in politics and to live in freedom. Despite the efforts of the military regime in Burma to deny the people of Burma the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi, her strength, vision and faith continued to guide them in their ongoing struggle for rights and democracy. Although she has not been able to meet with us and others around the world who are inspired by her courage, we have often recollected her words and her principles in the pursuit of building peace with justice and equality. We hope that we will soon have the opportunity to meet with her in person and until that time send her our best regards.
Since her most recent release, Aung San Suu Kyi has publicly offered support to the over 2,000 political prisoners still in Burmese captivity. She’s met with political prisoners’ families and agreed to work with the country’s military regime to see that the prisoners are freed.
Visit Human Rights Watch to sign a petition calling for the release of Burma’s political prisoner.