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Aung San Suu Kyi Seeks Re-instatement of Opposition Party


Aung San Suu Kyi leaves Burma's High Court with members of her National League for Democracy in Rangoon, 16 Nov 2010
Aung San Suu Kyi leaves Burma's High Court with members of her National League for Democracy in Rangoon, 16 Nov 2010

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in Burma's High Court Tuesday to file an affidavit seeking the legal reinstatement of her political party.

It was the pro-democracy figure's first trip to downtown Rangoon since her release Saturday after seven years of house arrest.

Since then she has appeared daily at the headquarters of her National League for Democracy, which was officially dissolved after deciding to boycott this month's national elections, in which she was barred from being a candidate.

In a speech on Sunday, she said she wants to work with all democratic forces in seeking change in Burma, but that it has to be accomplished through discussions with military leaders.

The United States and Britain said Monday that her release must be followed by freedom for more than 2,000 other political prisoners in the country.

U.S. State Department spokesman J.P. Crowley told reporters that Washington plans to "engage Burma" and see what it plans to do with other political prisoners and in relation to the country's ethnic groups.

British Prime Minister David Cameron conveyed a similar message to the lower house of his country's Parliament Monday after speaking with Aung San Suu Kyi on the phone earlier in the day.

Aung San Suu Kyi spent almost 15 of the past 21 years in some form of detention until her release Saturday.

The NLD won the 1990 elections by a landslide, but military leaders blocked it from assuming power.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

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