theSun | WEDNESDAY MAY 20 2009 7

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Asean expresses concern over Suu Kyi’s trial briefs

BANGKOK: Myanmar’s Southeast Asian neigh-
bours expressed “grave concern” yesterday at the
trial of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, but the
chair of their regional group, Thailand, ruled out
sanctions.
As a “responsible” member of the 10-member
Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean),
Myanmar “has the responsibility to protect and
promote human rights”, Thailand’s government
said in a statement.
“It is therefore called upon to provide timely
and adequate medical care to Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, as well as to accord her humane treatment
with dignity,” it said, noting the generals had
ignored Asean’s previous calls to free her.
Suu Kyi, whose latest detention began in
May 2003, is charged with violating the terms
of her house arrest after an American intruder
spent two days in her home this month. The trial
started on Monday and resumed yesterday.
Critics say the charges, which could see her
jailed for five years, are aimed at keeping the
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan state
television broadcast images
yesterday of what it said was
the body of Tamil Tiger leader
Velupillai Prabhakaran, as the
island’s president proclaimed
victory over the rebels.
Sri Lanka president declares
Nobel Peace laureate in detention until after elec-
tions in 2010. She has denied the charges.
Since joining Asean in 1997, the generals have
been a thorn in the group’s relations with the West,
which has repeatedly urged Asean to exert more
pressure on the regime.
Critics fear a proposed human rights body under
a new Asean charter signed in 2007 will have no
teeth, given the charter’s commitment to the
group’s mantra of non-interference.
Thailand, which holds the rotating chair of
Asean, said the group was ready to “contribute
constructively” to national reconciliation and a
peaceful transition to democracy in Myanmar.
But it also warned that with the eyes of the
world on Myanmar, “the honour and credibility of
the Government of the Union of Myanmar are at
stake”.
The military has ignored the international out-
rage over Suu Kyi’s trial as it pushes ahead with a
“roadmap to democracy” expected to
culminate in elections next year. The West calls it
a sham aimed at entrenching the military’s grip on
the country.
The European Union threatened tougher sanc- Man wounded
tions against the regime on Monday, four days after in shooting at
the United States renewed its measures against Harvard University
the military government.
But some EU ministers said Asian countries BOSTON: A man was shot and
could exert a stronger influence on Myanmar. They wounded on Monday on the campus
planned to discuss the situation with their Asian at Harvard University, police said.
counterparts at a meeting of foreign ministers in The man was shot outside Kirkland
Hanoi next week. House, an undergraduate residence,
The Europeans are unlikely to secure tough the public relations office for the
measures from Asean, which has shunned sanc- renowned university in Cambridge,
tions in favour of engaging the generals, although Massachusetts said.
neither policy has worked over the years. Police Sergeant James DeFrancesco
China and India – which have strong com- said the victim was “taken to a nearby
mercial ties to the impoverished but resource-rich hospital ... in stable condition.”
former Burma – have been silent on Suu Kyi’s trial. There was no immediate informa-
– Reuters tion about the identity of the victim or
of the shooter. According to a report in
the campus newspaper, The Crimson,
the victim was found bleeding, but con-
scious. He was reported to be young,
but there was no information indicating
whether or not he was a student.
Police blocked off part of the nearby
street, the report said. – AFP

Court rejects bid

to outlaw medical

final defeat of rebels

The images were shown marijuana
after the Tigers claimed the WASHINGTON: The US Supreme
guerilla leader was still alive Court on Monday rejected a move
and well, and said they would by two Californian counties to bar
continue fighting for a separate patients from using marijuana for
Tamil homeland despite Presi- medical purposes.
dent Mahinda Rajapakse’s call The top court refused to hear a
to unite the nation. case brought by San Diego and San
The video showed the upper Bernardo counties that argued the
section of a corpse which was federal law outlawing marijuana
dressed in camouflage fatigues. should override Californian state
The back of the head, which was law that permits the use, cultiva-
resting on a bloodstained news- tion and possession of the drug for
paper, appeared to be missing. medical purposes.
The face was intact, with Twelve other US states have
the eyes wide open, and bore a similar laws. The Californian law,
clear resemblance to the stocky, adopted by referendum in 1996, al-
moustachioed rebel leader. Also lows chronically ill patients with a
shown was a dog tag with the medical prescription to use marijua-
marking ‘0:01’ and a Liberation na as a painkiller, providing they are
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) properly registered. But San Diego
identity card. and San Bernardo have refused to
“We are a government that issue such cards, and an association
defeated terrorism at a time seeking to promote marijuana use
when others told us that it was began legal action against them at
not possible,” Rajapakse said in the end of 2005. – AFP
a nationally televised address to
parliament. Student opens fire at
“The writ of the state now
runs across every inch of our school; shoots self
territory.” WASHINGTON: A 15-year-old student
Under international pressure fired a shot toward a teacher at a Loui-
to reach out to the Tamil minor- siana middle school on Monday before
REUTERSPIX

ity, Rajapakse also vowed that a
political solution to the island’s
deep rooted ethnic divisions
would be found.
“All should live with equal
rights. They should live without
any fear or doubt. Let us all be
united.”
His speech had been shad-
owed by a Tiger statement insist-
ing that Prabhakaran was not
dead and that his fight – which
he began in 1972 – would go on.
“Our beloved leader is alive
and safe. He will continue to
lead the quest for dignity and
freedom for the Tamil people,”
the rebels’ international relations
chief Selvarasa Pathmanathan
said on the pro-rebel Tamilnet
website.
Pathmanathan went on to
accuse the government and mili-
tary of “crimes against human-
ity” saying senior LTTE leaders
had been shot dead after being
invited to negotiate a surrender.
But army chief Gen Sarath
Fonseka stated categorically
that Prabhakaran’s body had
been identified – a day after
defence officials reported he
was gunned down trying to flee
government troops.
“Reports from the battlefield
confirmed this morning that
they have identified the body of
Prabhakaran, this ruthless ter-
rorist leader,” Fonseka said.
The conflicting accounts of
the Tiger leader’s fate came after
a dramatic day that effectively
ended one of Asia’s oldest and
most brutal ethnic conflicts.
The army said its comman-
dos overran the last sliver of
Tiger-held territory, killing their
remaining 300 fighters and deci-
mating the rebel leadership.
More than 70,000 people
have died in the long-running
conflict, in everything from
pitched battles to suicide attacks,
bombings and assassinations.
But the Sri Lankan govern-
ment’s moment of triumph came
at the cost of thousands of inno-
cent lives, according to the UN.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-
moon said he will visit Sri Lanka
on Friday to assess the situation
there for himself. – AFP
» See also Page 10
leaving the classroom and shooting
himself in the head.
The incident took place at Larose-
Cut Off Middle School southwest of
Sri Lankan New Orleans. The shooter was in a
police and hospital and listed in critical condition,
army chiefs the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office
before a told CNN. No one else was hurt in the
meeting to incident. – dpa
discuss the
end of the
New Zealand
25-year civil
war at the having baby boom
president’s WELLINGTON: New Zealand is expe-
residence in riencing a baby boom despite the
Colombo. recession that has hit the economy
over the last year, according to of-
ficial figures released yesterday.
The birth rate of 2.2 births per
woman in the 12 months to March
31, when 64,160 babies were born,
was the highest since 1991, Statis-

Congress elects Singh as parliament leader tics New Zealand reported.

NEW DELHI: India’s Congress party elected
Manmohan Singh as leader of the Congress
Parliamentary party yesterday, setting the stage
for his appointment as prime minister following
a general election victory.
Congress party president Sonia Gandhi
proposed Manmohan Singh’s name and it was
immediately approved by thumping of desks
by newly-elected party lawmakers in the In-
dian parliament. Singh, who will lead a coalition
government, vowed to reverse a slowdown in
growth that has hurt key sectors of the economy
and led to loss of millions of jobs.
“Economic slowdown has hurt us, we will
have to reverse it,” Singh said in his acceptance
speech, greeted by loud cheers.
Singh’s coalition is just 10 seats short of a par-
liamentary majority and is expected to be invited
to form the next government soon.
The coalition was further strengthened after
Mayawati, the powerful leader of the Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) representing the lower castes,
pledged her support for the new coalition.
“Our 21 MPs will extend outside support to
the government,” Mayawati, who is also chief
minister of most populous Uttar Pradesh state,
said in a news conference in the northern city
of Lucknow.
Despite that, it remained about
half the peak of 4.3 births per
Singh was expected to appoint key reformers woman reached in 1961. New
to the new cabinet as financial markets extended Zealand women on average now
gains on hopes his coalition’s sweeping election have children about five years later
win would herald a strong coalition govern- than their counterparts 40 years
ment. ago, with the median age of 30,
Indian shares were up more than 2% midday compared with 25 in 1969.
yesterday in a seesaw trade, following Monday’s The median age of women giving
17.3% surge. birth to their first child was 28 in the
Among the challenges facing the new coalition year ended March 2009. A newborn
is expanding its development projects, including girl can expect to live an average
a rural jobs guarantee scheme that now leaves of 82.2 years and a boy 78.2 years,
out millions in small towns and cities at a time Statistics New Zealand said. – dpa
when the combined budget deficit is touching
10% of GDP. – Reuters