Cameron vow over Suu Kyi freedom

Birthday candles are lit in front of an image of Myanmar's detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (AP)
12 April 2012

David Cameron has promised Aung San Suu Kyi that Britain will do "all it can" to secure democracy in Burma in a message to mark the detained pro-democracy leader's 65th birthday.

The Prime Minister joined other world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, in marking the milestone by issuing a personal tribute to her work.

Burma's military government has held the Nobel Peace Prize winner under house arrest for about 14 of the last 20 years, despite massive international pressure for her release.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon used her birthday to repeat those demands and to call for all other political prisoners to be released by the regime.

In his open letter, Mr Cameron told Ms Suu Kyi that the thoughts of Britain and the world were with her on "yet another birthday under house arrest - cut off from your children and your family".

"The injustice of your continuing detention mirrors the injustice that the regime has inflicted on your country and your people for so many years," he wrote.

"Throughout that time, you have stood firm, at enormous personal cost, for the principles of liberty and justice. You have become a powerful symbol of the strength of the human spirit."

His predecessor as PM, Gordon Brown, was a very vocal supporter of the activist and devoted a chapter of his book, Courage, to her struggle.

Mr Cameron said that he too had "long found your example deeply inspiring".

"The British Government I lead will do all it can, both internationally, working through the United Nations, and bilaterally, to bring a brighter future for Burma and your people, in which they enjoy full human rights and true democracy," he said.

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