A Nobel peace prize winner is urging the Burmese government to end the house arrest of pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi.
In an interview with the Voice of America, 1976 peace laureate Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland called the extended detention of the National League for Democracy leader shameful and inhumane.
Ms. Maguire also called on the Burmese government to restore the civil, human and political rights of Aung San Suu Kyi and her followers.
Also today, this year's Nobel peace laureate, Kenyan Wangari Maathai, told the French news agency that she and two prize recipients attending a conference in Nairobi (2003 winner Shirn Ebadi of Iran and 1997 winner Jody Williams from the United States) are joining the criticism.
Ms. Maathai says they believe the world needs to exert more pressure on the military government to return freedom and democracy to Burma.
Information for this report is provided by AFP.