Ulster Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire has expressed words of
support and solidarity with her fellow winner Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's
leading opposition figure.
Ms Corrigan Maguire, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for her role
with the Peace People, said she was "deeply saddened" about the
recent pro-democracy protests which have seen at least ten protesters killed
by the country's ruling military junta in the past week.
As 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was unexpectedly allowed to
leave house arrest and speak with a UN envoy last night, Mrs Corrigan
Maguire sent her sympathy to the families of those killed and the people of
the country.
Speaking after the Nonviolent Peaceforce Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, the
activist said: "I appeal to the Government of Burma to uphold the
peoples' right to nonviolent protest and to enter into dialogue with Aung
San Suu Kyi and the representatives of all ethnic groups to find together a
nonviolent solution to the conflict through negotiations.
"The suffering of the people has been long and painful. The Government
of Burma has a duty and responsibility to enter into all inclusive dialogue
with its population."
More than 100 protesters took to the streets of Belfast on Saturday in a
show of solidarity with Burmese protesters.
The city's Zen Buddhist community, Amnesty International members and
academics from Queen's University were among the crowd who attended the
rally at Belfast City Hall.
Also there were MLA Alex Attwood, Belfast councillor Tim Attwood, Councillor
Matthew McDermott and SDLP international secretary Claire Hanna.
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