Obama urges Burma to free Suu Kyi

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

US President Barack Obama has urged Burma's prime minister to release the pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr Obama delivered the message as he met leaders of the Asean grouping of south-east Asian nations in Singapore.

White House press secretary said Mr Obama raised the issue "directly" with General Thein Sein.
...
But the fact that a US president has sat down at the same table with a member of the Burmese military government is a clear sign that America is serious about wanting to re-engage with the region, says the BBC's Rachel Harvey in Singapore.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8361081.stm

[tomp]

1. tomp urges obama to free leonard peltier.

hypocrite.

[Suji to Seoul]

2. Suji urges Obama to free every non-violent drug offender and clean their criminal record

[madrchsod]

3. it`s not about democracy

it`s about cheap labor and mineral wealth.

[winyanstaz]

4. Wakien urges Obama to free Leonard Peltier.....

release all non-violent drug offenders and clear their records...and release the two little sons of the 9-11 "Master mind" they have tortured from the kidnappers in the CIA.
I also call on him to release the photos of the crimes of torture he is covering up for Bush.

[Bluzmann57]

5. Some people call the country Myanmar

Just saying.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. And there's a link to a BBC article about that, on that page:

A statement by the Foreign Office says: "Burma's democracy movement prefers the form 'Burma' because they do not accept the legitimacy of the unelected military regime to change the official name of the country. Internationally, both names are recognised."

It's general practice at the BBC to refer to the country as Burma, and the BBC News website says this is because most of its audience is familiar with that name rather than Myanmar. The same goes for Rangoon, people in general are more familiar with this name than Yangon.
...
Mark Farmener, of Burma Campaign UK, says: "Often you can tell where someone's sympathies lie if they use Burma or Myanmar. Myanmar is a kind of indicator of countries that are soft on the regime.

"But really it's not important. Who cares what people call the country? It's the human rights abuses that matter.

"There's not a really strong call from the democracy movement saying you should not call it Myanmar, they just challenge the legitimacy of the regime. It's probable it will carry on being called Myanmar after the regime is gone."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7013943.stm

[Bluzmann57]

8. Ok. Thank you.

I wasn't aware of that fact. Most maps list the country's name as Myanmar so I just thought that was the officially name now.

[Codeine]

9. Illegitimate government -- illegitimate name. nt

[LeftishBrit]

7. Glad to hear that. I hope they listen.

A horrible injustice is being done there.

[Violet_Crumble]

10. Not likely at all that they'll listen, but big kudos to Obama for trying...

I just think there's nil to zero chance of Burma listening. They really do come across as only a bit less paranoid and lacking in any concern for the population than North Korea is...