Birthday Behind Bars

Today is the 62nd birthday of the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient, the leader of Burma's democracy movement, Aung San Suu Kyi, whose political party won a landslide 82% victory in Burma's last democratic election, in 1990, since when she has spent the majority of her time under house arrest.

Earlier this year, hopes for constructive change in Burma were raised as the United Nations Security Council held it's first ever vote on Burma. This garnered enough votes to pass but the measure was vetoed by China and Russia. As with Sudan, China is the Burmese military regime's primary benefactor, sending billions in arms and weaponry and importing massive quantities of natural resources.

Besides locking up Suu Kyi, Burma's military regime has destroyed 3,000 villages in eastern Burma, forcing 1,500,000 people to flee their homes as refugees and internally displaced people. It has also recruited up to 70,000 child soldiers, far more than any other country in the world. Up to 1,300 political prisoners remain behind bars, including elected members of Suu Kyi's political party.

Those of us in free nations must do what it takes for freedom to prevail.