Burma activist is freewoman of Dublin

Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said she hoped her freedom of Dublin award would lead to closer links between Ireland and her country as it struggles to free itself from military rule.

In a video message recorded in Burma, where her movements are strictly controlled by the military, Ms Suu Kyi (54) said she wished to thank the people of Dublin for conferring on her the honour of freewoman of the city. She added: "I hope it will be an augury of greater ties between our countries, greater friendship, greater understanding, greater compassion."

Collecting the award on her behalf, her son, Mr Kim Aris (23) said he hoped "some day circumstances in Burma will allow my mother to come to Ireland to accept this honour herself". A blank space was left on the roll of honour for Ms Suu Kyi to sign if and when that day comes.

U2's Bono said he was "really proud" to be linked in this way to the Burmese human rights activist. "I think it's a mark of the city that while celebrating U2's freedom they bring the spotlight on Aung San Suu Kyi's incarceration.

"You can't ever forget . . . what we have been through as a people, and the way we don't forget that is by putting our arms around people who are currently in a situation that we might have been in." The chairman of Burma Action Ireland, Father Pat Raleigh, praised Bono for his work against global debt and urged him to use his influence to "draw attention to the awful plight of the situation" in Burma.

Father Raleigh also called on the Government to appeal to the UN Security Council for trade sanctions against the military regime.

The Lord Mayor, Ms Mary Freehill, noted a recent report from Burma had found refugees were being subjected to forced labour, "being used as human shields or used to clear landmines. The report finds no signs of any improvements in the human rights conditions over the last couple of years."

Paying tribute to Ms Suu Kyi, the Lord Mayor said: "We can only marvel at the sacrifices this brave woman and her family have made for the people of Burma. She left a comfortable life in England, her young son not yet grown and her husband Michael, who sadly died last year.

"She said once, `I hope the world will not forget us'. I'd like to send the message to Aung San and the people of Burma that Dublin has not forgotten."