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| Myanmar's Suu Kyi hit with new convictions, jail term In this file photo taken on July 17, 2019, Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi attends the opening ceremony of the Yangon Innovation Centre in Yangon. (Photo from STR / AFP) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: The Philippines condemned the sentencing to four years in prison of Myanmar’s ousted civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, saying the military regime is using the judicial system to silence political opponents and crush the National League for Democracy, PhilStar reported.
“I will work with ASEAN colleagues in the next few weeks to find measures to ease the suffering of the people of Myanmar, and push for dialogue among all stakeholders, most especially Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and substantial progress in the Five-Point Consensus of ASEAN,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a statement over the weekend. The Philippines reiterated calls for Myanmar’s military leadership to release all political prisoners, uphold democratic institutions and processes, refrain from violence, and fully respect human rights and the rule of law.
Manila also called on the military leadership to participate in an inclusive dialogue and resume the democratic transition process. Locsin said the Special Envoy’s participation in the ceasefire talks with the Ethnic Armed Organizations is a welcome development “but these talks must include all, not just a select few.” Locsin said the Special Envoy’s access to all parties concerned must not be subject to any conditionality.
