Myanmar tightens security around Suu Kyi's home, party

27-05-2008

YANGON - MYANMAR tightened security on Tuesday around Aung San Suu Kyi's home and her party's offices, witnesses said, as the regime is believed to be preparing to extend her house arrest.

Her National League for Democracy is also set to hold a ceremony later in the day to mark the 18th anniversary of the party's landslide election victory, which was never recognised by the junta.

Six police trucks were stationed near the NLD's rundown headquarters in the main Yangon, while plainclothes police stood watch from across the street, witnesses said.

Dozens of uniformed and plainclothes police, along with pro-junta militia, also stood guard near Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's rambling lakeside home.

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the years since the 1990 polls under house arrest.

Her most recent period in detention began on May 30, 2003, when her convoy was ambushed while she toured upcountry. The junta says four people were killed in that attack, but the party puts the toll at nearly 100.

After the ambush, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi was initially confined at the notorious Insein prison, but was allowed to return to her home after undergoing a gynaecological operation on September 19, 2003.

Myanmar is under US and European sanctions demanding her release, but calls for her freedom have been overshadowed by the high-level diplomacy aimed at convincing the junta to allow a full-scale relief effort for victims of the cyclone that left 133,000 dead or missing. -- AFP