Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's 65th birthday plight shrieks for responses by the UN, more than 33 million Canadians and all rule of law governments.

Canada's honourary citizen Suu Kyi is always more concerned about others than herself. She is one of the most admired and beloved persons on earth. She is the renowned advocate for democracy and the rule of law. The world is yet again put to shame by the continued and blatant violations of the rule of law and a host of international conventions against one of history’s most heroic fighters for human dignity.

The Nobel Peace laureate has lived most of the last 18 years under house arrest imposed by the military junta, which has ruled Burma since 1962. In the most recent farcical development, the regime arrested her again after an American stranger swam across a lake to her home and violated her privacy. She faces the prospect of more years of confinement. She clearly committed no breach of any Burmese law.

It is high time that the international community responded with resolve and principle against the generals’ continuing violations of the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The UN Security Council and the ASEAN governments must act in unity now to put pressure on the regime to release Daw Suu Kyi immediately. Canada must stand up and speak up to protect Daw Suu Kyi as one of our own.

In addition, General Than Shwe and his accomplices should be charged with crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court.

Every Canadian should be concerned about the well-being of Daw Suu Kyi. We should all demand that our government take action now.

In closing, permit me to refer to the contents of a statement made on June 16th by the award winning American NGO Freedom Now under the heading: Un Declares Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s Detention Illegal; Urges Her Immediate and Unconditional Release:

1- "In the judgment from (the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention) …(it) unequivocally reestablishes that the ongoing detention of Burmese democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is illegal and in violation of international law. In its opinion, the Working Group declares that '[t]he continuation of the deprivation of liberty of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi is arbitrary, being in contravention of articles 9,10, 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. . . (she)was not informed of the reasons for her arrest; had no effective remedy to challenge her detention; no records were given to her; she was never informed of her rights; she has been denied communication with the [o]utside world; and is being detained because of her political views'.

2-"The UN Working Group… is an independent and impartial body of the UN Human Rights Council. It currently consists of experts from Chile, Norway, Pakistan, Russian Federation, and Senegal. This is the sixth opinion from the Working Group finding subsequent terms of her house arrest in violation of international law.”

3-"In a recent statement carried by the state-run media, Burma’s foreign ministry stated it 'is a country that always respects UN declarations and decisions as it is a UN member country.' If this is the case, then she should be immediately released. 'Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be sixty-five years old this Saturday, June 19th – another birthday spent unjustly confined,' said Jared Genser, president of Freedom Now and international pro bono counsel for Ms. Suu Kyi. 'The military junta continues to flagrantly violate international law and decisions of the UN Working Group by imprisoning Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.' "

Happy birthday, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.