Martin condemns Suu Kyi sentencing

The sentencing of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar (formerly Burma) has drawn widespread condemnation around the world.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said today's verdict was "confirmation that the Burmese junta is determined to continue its illegal rule without regard for the will of the Burmese people and in blatant disregard of the demands of the international community."

The 64-year-old Nobel Peace laureate was today convicted of violating her house arrest by allowing an uninvited American to stay at her home in May.

Under Section 22 of Burmar’s State Protection Act of 1975, a court sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to three years in prison, but this was immediately reduced to 18 months on the orders of the military government, which said she could serve the time in her Rangoon home.

"The conviction of Aung San Suu Kyi serves only one purpose and that is to exclude her from participating in the elections scheduled for next year in Burma. It lays bare the emptiness of the regime’s rhetoric that the elections will be free and fair," said Mr Martin in a statement.

"I have repeatedly made clear my view that these elections will have no credibility unless all political prisoners are released unconditionally and a political process is initiated, based on an inclusive, long-term dialogue in which the opposition and ethnic groups can participate fully. I call once more for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and of all political prisoners and for the launching of a process of dialogue," he added.

Fine Gael's spokesman on Foreign Affairs Billy Timmins said the sentence imposed on Ms Suu Kyi was entirely politically motivated.

"I believe that EU diplomatic channels should be exhausted in securing Ms. Suu Kyi's release and ensuring that her plight is kept centre-stage. That the maximum sentence was not imposed in this case is an indication that international pressure does work. Severe economic sanctions have already been imposed on Burma and continued diplomatic pressure through the EU and the UN is critical to ensuring Ms Suu Kyi's release," he said.

The Labour Party was also critical of today's sentencing, which it described as "farcical."

"Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention means that she will be excluded from participating in next year's scheduled elections in the country, and make a mockery of the junta's so-called 'roadmap to democracy,' said Michael D Higgins, the party's spokesman on Foreign Affairs. "

It is up to bodies such as the European Union to put pressure on regional neighbours to exclude Burma from international and local diplomacy."

The call for action at a European level was backed by the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee, which urged the EU to act swiftly and decisively against the ruling.

“The committee fully backs the EU’s initial pledge to respond with targeted measures against those responsible for the verdict and supports its promise to reinforce restrictive measures targeting the regime in Burma, including economic interests. The EU must use its influence to let Burma’s rulers know that their treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi is totally unacceptable," said chairman Dr Michael Woods.

The Green Party also condemned the sentencing and called on Mr Martin to redouble efforts to secure Ms Suu Kyi's release.

"We must keep up the pressure on this army-controlled state if we are to make any progress with the repression of democracy and the false imprisonment of opposition leader Aung Suu Kyi. Evidently, the Nobel Peace Laureate did nothing wrong in this case and it's clear the sentence imposed is for political purposes," said the party's deputy leader Mary White.

"It is almost 13 years since Suu Kyi was blockaded into her home and all efforts to release her have failed. EU Governments must now come together to exert serious political gestures to prove to the Burmese authorities that this level of totalitarianism cannot be allowed," she added.

Amnesty International’s secretary general Irene Khan described today's sentencing as “shameful,” while Colm O'Gorman, the organisation's executive director for Ireland, called on Irish people not to let her be forgotten.

“We cannot allow this courageous woman to be forgotten about or to slip from the headlines. People here in Ireland and around the world need to put pressure on their governments to urge the international community to confront the Myanmarese authorities,” said Mr Gorman.

Burma Action Ireland also condemned what it called an "outrageous and unjust conviction." The organisation is to stage a demonstration at the Dublin embassies of four of the permanent UN Security Council member countries tomorrow

Protesters are to meet at the US Embassy in Ballsbridge at 3.30pm before moving on to the French, British and Chinese embassies.

The European Union today said in a statement it will respond with additional targeted measures "against those responsible for the verdict."

"In addition, the EU will further reinforce its restrictive measures targeting the regime of Burma/Myanmar, including its economic interests," it said.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy backed the tougher sanctions, saying in a statement these "should particularly target the resources it profits directly from - wood and ruby mining."

British prime minister Gordon Brown said he was "saddened and angry" at the sentence, while Australia joined the EU in calling for the immediate release of Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners in the former Burma.

Additional reporting: agencies