Suu Kyi's house arrest extended

(May 28, Yangon, Sri Lanka Guardian) Myanmar's ruling junta has extended the house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi by another year, an official today said.

Separately 16 of her supporters were arrested Tuesday.

Seven Myanmar officials went to the lakeside Yangon home that has been Aung San Suu Kyi's prison for most of the last 18 years and delivered the news during a 10-minute meeting, a state official said.

"Her detention was extended by one year," the official told the Media.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner's 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, Aung San Suu Kyi was initially confined at the notorious Insein prison, but was allowed to return to her home in September 2003.

About 100 uniformed and plainclothes police, along with pro-junta militia, patrolled around the rambling lakeside house in Yangon ahead of the afternoon meeting.

Earlier Tuesday, about 30 of her supporters tried to march towards her home, but security forces broke up the protest and arrested 16 people including a 12-year-old boy, a spokesman from her National League for Democracy party said.

Six police trucks were stationed near the NLD's rundown headquarters in the centre of the country's main city Yangon, while plainclothes police stood watch from across the street, witnesses said.
- Sri Lanka Guardian