She must be released now!!!

Arroyo Calls For Release Of Aung San Suu Kyi - AFP SINGAPORE (AFP)--Philippine President Gloria Arroyo on Wedneseday called for the immediate release of Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, deploring her treatment by the junta. It was the strongest statement yet against the generals during this week's Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, which has been dominated by questions about how the bloc can rein in its errant member. "Let me be very clear. We embrace the advances of Asean but remain concerned about the pace of progress in Myanmar on the issue of human rights," Arroyo told reporters before heading home to Manila earlier than scheduled. "We particularly deplore the treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi. She must be released now," Arroyo said. Earlier this week, Myanmar scored a victory when it forced the cancellation of a briefing by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to 16 leaders from the 10 Asean states plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. Arroyo, who received a private briefing from Gambari on Tuesday, said the Philippines was "concerned that the forces of authoritarianism still move rather slowly towards democracy in Myanmar." "We must be active in advocating peaceful reforms in that nation. It is good for Myanmar, for Asean and the world," she said. Arroyo reiterated that Filipino lawmakers might refuse to ratify Asean's first-ever charter until Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years, was freed. (END) Dow Jones Newswires 11-21-070441ET Copyright (c) 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.