Nobel peace laureates on Friday urged Europe and the United Nations to
push harder to bring about national reconciliation in Burma and the
release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Aung San Suu
Kyi, who won the Nobel prize in 1991, has been detained in her Rangoon
home for 13 of the past 19 years, receiving regular visits from only
her doctor and lawyer.
Northern Ireland peace campaigner Mairead
Corrigan Maguire read a statement, saying, "We are here today to remind
the world of her courage and of the strength of his woman, who has been
unceasingly fighting for the freedom of her people."
Maguire was
meeting in Paris with fellow Nobel peace prize winners Betty Williams
and John Hume of Northern Ireland, F. W. de Klerk of South Africa and
Lech Walesa of Poland.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev sent a message voicing his support for Aung San Suu Kyi's release.
Irish rocker and activist Bono also paid tribute to the Burmese opposition leader.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
