US, EU condemn Myanmar junta for Suu Kyi decision

The US and the EU have led international condemnation of Myanmar's decision to extend the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, calling for her immediate release.

On Friday, the military rulers of the Southeast Asian country ordered that the Nobel peace laureate -- who has spent much of the past 17 years in detention -- be kept under house arrest for another year, police sources said.

The decision came despite mounting calls for the junta to free the 61-year-old, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide victory in 1990 elections but was never allowed to govern.

The extension was widely expected, with observers saying the junta is fearful the hugely popular democracy leader could threaten its rule.

"The United States condemns the generals of the State Peace and Development Council of Burma for the extension of the house arrest of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi," said White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "The regime's unjustified continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and repression of other activists must end."

Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, urged Myanmar's ruling junta to rethink its decision, deploring that "all international appeals ... have once more gone unheard."

Officials Aung San Suu Kyi at her home in Yangon to inform her of the junta's decision. The most recent period of house arrest, which began four years ago, was scheduled to expire at the weekend.

Aung San Suu Kyi has little contact with the outside world, apart from her live-in maid and visits from her doctor.

The last time the opposition leader -- the only Nobel peace laureate in detention -- was able to leave her house was last November, when the junta allowed her to meet visiting UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari for one hour.

Gambari the BBC in an interview broadcast yesterday that he would contact leaders in key Asian countries such as India and China to see how they could work with the world body to "re-engage" Myanmar on the issue.

"India has a role, South Africa has a role, China has a role, Russia has a role and of course, the ASEAN countries also have a role," Gambari said.

"I intend as part of my duties to touch base ... to see how they can work with us and with the secretary general to really re-engage the government of Myanmar to deliver on these very concrete issues."

Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokeswoman said he "deeply regrets the decision."

"He strongly believes that the sooner restrictions on Aung San Suu Kyi and other political figures are lifted, the sooner Myanmar will be able to move toward inclusive national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights," said the spokeswoman, Michele Montas.

Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD expressed disappointment, with spokesman Myint Thein saying it was "not good for the country."

Citing Myanmar's rights violations, including Aung San Suu Kyi's detention, the US last week renewed sanctions against the regime for another year, as did the EU in April.

In the past week the junta has detained at least 60 pro-democracy activists as they went to pagodas to pray for Aung San Suu Kyi's release and 45 people, mostly NLD members, remain in custody.