Pressure on the junta

Rangoon, Burma

Burma’s military government was pummeled by international criticism this week over its continued detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations urged Burma to release the Nobel laureate, the first time it had ever publicly rebuked one of its members. The European Union increased sanctions against Burma and froze bank accounts of junta officials, and Japan threatened to cut financial aid to the depressed country. Suu Kyi, whose party won an election in 1990 that the junta simply ignored, has spent much of her time since then under house arrest. She was rearrested last month after a clash between her supporters and pro-government forces.