JAPAN: Dalai Lama says Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's release will bring "many benefits"

Record ID: 349467

  • Title: JAPAN: Dalai Lama says Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's release will bring "many benefits"
  • Date: 14th November 2010
  • Summary: HIROSHIMA, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 13, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HOTEL 2010 NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE SUMMIT SESSION SIGN READING "11TH WORLD SUMMIT OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATES" DALAI LAMA AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS ON STAGE DALAI LAMA NODDING CAMERAMEN REPORTERS VIEW OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE SUMMIT SESSION DALAI LAMA WALKING OUT OF CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN S
  • Embargoed: 29th November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAD3IUORDXE0OYU5IVPUAEDYIWB
  • Story Text: Exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama said Saturday (November 13) that the expected release of Myanmar's democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi is "more than welcome" and will improve the image of the country's government.
    "If she is released, more than welcome. Very good. Then, this is not only just freedom of one individual, but I think freedom of a lot of people in Burma who are really dedicated for democracy. Then, also I think the image of the Burmese government will improve, so many benefits," the Dalai Lama told Reuters Television in Hiroshima, western Japan, where he is attending the annual World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.
    On Friday (November 12), past Nobel peace prize winners and their guests went ahead and celebrated the release of Suu Kyi at the summit's reception party before any official confirmation from Myanmar's ruling government after being told through their own sources that she had been freed.
    "It's not the question of a Nobel laureate supporting another laureate; it's the question of basic human rights and the right of everybody for free speech and free expression and to lead a peaceful movement for change as she has been doing. So, it's good news anyway that she is released, and I hope that sets an example for everyone in the world that people have to have the right to speak freely and express their views and live in a democratic system," said another Nobel peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who headed the International Atomic and Energy Agency (IAEA) until last year.
    To the laureates gathering in Hiroshima, the report of Suu Kyi's release was brought Friday night by a representative of Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), leading to celebrations which were also joined by guests including Italian soccer legend Roberto Baggio.
    Baggio is due to receive an award this weekend for his contribution to highlighting humanitarian issues, including the house arrest of Suu Kyi.
    Web boards and news media went into overdrive amid a flurry of rumours that the charismatic leader of Myanmar's fight against dictatorship was set to walk free when her latest period of house arrest term expires on Saturday (November 13).
    Lawyers for Suu Kyi's now-defunct National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which won the last election in 1990 but was never allowed to govern, said they had heard nothing but said they felt confident she would be freed as scheduled.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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