By DPA,
New York: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Saturday praised the release of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and called for greater freedom in the Asian country.
“Her dignity and courage in the face of injustice have been an inspiration to many people around the world,” including the secretary general himself, a statement from Ban’s office said.
It went on to urge Myanmar’s ruling military government to ensure that “no further restrictions will be placed on her”.
The statement said it was “deeply regrettable” that Suu Kyi was excluded from elections in Myanmar last week. The poll was generally seen as a sham by most Western capitals.
“Democracy and national reconciliation require that all citizens of Myanmar are free to participate as they wish in the political life of their country,” Ban said.
Suu Kyi has spent 15 out of the last 20 years under some form of detention or house arrest – ever since her party, the National League for Democracy, won the 1990 elections. The results of that vote were ruled invalid by the military, to much international outcry.