(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Aug. 14)

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Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, the living symbol of Myanmar???s
democratization movement, was sentenced to 18 months of additional house arrest.

The nation???s military dictatorship charged her based on unreasonable suspicion,
depriving Suu Kyi of her liberty once again. We censure the harsh violations of
human rights committed by Myanmar???s military administration and strongly urge
the international community to resolutely stand up against the unjust decision -
not only in word but in deed.
Suu Kyi has lived in a prison without bars for nearly 14 years of the past two
decades. In mid-May, less than two weeks before her house arrest was supposed to
end, she was arrested on unacceptable grounds. She was accused of violating the
national security act and the terms of her house arrest by allowing an uninvited
American who swam across a lake to stay at her villa for two days. Right after
the court in Myanmar on Wednesday sentenced the pro-democracy leader to three
years with hard labor, the military administration announced that Suu Kyi???s
sentence would be reduced to 18 months of additional house arrest, according to a
commutation from the junta???s leader, Than Shwe.
Their intention is beyond question. They are trying to continue to bind her hands
and legs tightly until after the general elections are held next year. We feel
sorry that they are still afraid of a fragile 64-year-old woman. Considering the
fact that her opposition party won a landslide victory when she was under house
arrest during the general elections - taking 392 of 485 seats in the People???s
Assembly - they have good reason to be fearful. At that time, the military
annulled the general elections and amended the constitution to allow people from
the military to occupy more than a quarter of the parliamentary seats.
Despite fierce criticism, the international community???s response to the
reckless behavior of Myanmar???s military dictatorship has thus far been
ineffective. The United States and the European Union are renewing sanctions on
Myanmar, implementing an embargo on weapons exports, freezing the overseas assets
of Myanmar???s military leaders, restricting the issuance of visas, and
instituting measures to limit investment.
However, all of this is not having much of an effect, and Myanmar is resorting to
brinkmanship. Part of the problem is that the international community has failed
to create a unified voice. China and Russia raised objections to the measures,
saying they interfere with the country???s internal affairs. So the United
Nations resolutions supporting such sanctions never passed through the Security
Council.
Myanmar and North Korea remain among the world???s worst violators of human
rights. Nearly 2,000 people are still held in prison in Myanmar for their
political beliefs. It is high time that the international community make
concerted efforts to strengthen sanctions against Myanmar to help them realize
that human rights as the highest universal value no longer falls under the
???internal affairs??? exception.
(END)