US House honours Suu Kyi

(April 25, Washington, Sri Lanka Guardian) The US Senate unanimously agreed to confer the Congressional Gold Medal on Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

The opinion followed a similar decision taken by the House of Representatives.

The 62-year-old widow is the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient, having spent more than 12 of the past 18 years under house arrest.

The medal - the highest civilian honour the legislature can bestow - has also been given to such diverse individuals as Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, former South African president Nelson Mandela and Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

`The Senate on Friday has approved a measure to award our nation's highest civilian honour to Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Burma's (Myanmar's) democratic opposition,' said Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who proposed the legislation with Republican Mitch McConnell Thursday.

`This Congressional Gold Medal is a tribute to Suu Kyi's courage and conviction, and a symbol of solidarity with the oppressed people of Burma.'

Rights activists said Aung San Suu Kui is believed to be the only recipient in the 232-year history of the award - the first being America's first president George Washington - to be given it while imprisoned.

Her latest period of detention began in 2003 after a deadly attack on her convoy by supporters of the ruling military junta, and has been periodically extended since, with little sign that the generals plan to free her.

The generals have called for a referendum next month on a military-backed constitution -- the first balloting in Myanmar since 1990, when Aung San Suu Kyi led her National League for Democracy to a landslide victory, which was never recognized by the junta.
- Sri Lanka Guardian