Junta stays one step ahead of demonstrator
A monk sprinkles water on a picture of Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi who turned 61 yesterday. The opposition leader spent her birthday under house arrest.
|
|
An attempt to stage a protest in Rangoon by a retired Burmese professor proved abortive yesterday - Aung San Suu Kyi's 61st birthday - as Thai Airways staff in Bangkok stopped him from checking in.
Salai Tun Than, a 78-year-old Burmese citizen, said he planned a return to Rangoon to lead a public demonstration aimed at pressuring the country's military rulers into restoring power to the people and releasing all political prisoners. "It has been 46 years since the government took the power from the people. Somebody has to do something. That somebody happens to be me," said Salai at a press briefing on Sunday. He added that he was prepared for any consequence if the Burmese government arrested him. Salai said he possessed a valid Burmese passport, which would expire in July 2008. However, on June 5, he learnt that his passport had been nullified via radio without any official notification. "After that I wrote a letter to the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok asking if the announcement was true. I wanted to know, if it was so, why my passport had been revoked and if the embassy was willing to issue any travel document for me. They didn't reply," said Salai, adding that he had decided to press ahead with his plan. His attempt, though, failed yesterday morning at Don Muang airport when Thai Airways staff at a check-in counter said they could not allow Salai to board a plane as his passport was no longer valid. "The staff said they had been contacted by the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok and asked not to let Salai board an aircraft. Otherwise, Thai Airways' flights between Bangkok and Rangoon would be affected, said Forum Asia's Chalida Tajaroensuk, who had accompanied Salai to the airport. Salai then went to consult the Immigration Department, to be told that it had no problems letting him through. The Thai Airways staff, however, insisted that Sulai must "clear" himself with the Burmese Embassy or the Thai Foreign Ministry. Later, Salai went to the ministry for talks with Minister Counsellor Kallayana Vipattipumiprates of the East Asian Affairs Department. "I'm a citizen of Burma, I should be allowed to go back to my country. I feel my human rights are being breached," Sulai told Kallayana. Kallayana said he would look into the matter. "If there is anything wrong, we will let you know as soon as possible," Kallayana said, adding that the validity of Salai's Thai visa depended on the validity of the passport. Yet, he said it was too soon to say that Salai was a stateless man. He declined to comment on the action of Thai Airways or the possibility of Salai's visa - which expires on August 5 - being extended. On the same day, Doh San San, opposition leader Suu Kyi's representative who received an honorary degree from Rangsit University in 2004, submitted an appeal to the Foreign Ministry urging efforts aimed at securing the Burmese Nobel Prize-winner's release. Doh San San also urged Thailand to condemn Burma's ruling SPDC for its suppression and brutal treatment of the country's people. Salai subsequently joined in celebrations in Pattanakarn, Bangkok, marking the 61st birthday of Suu Kyi. Sopaporn Kurz The Nation
|
