Aung San Suu Kyi, is often pilloried in the official press as an "axe-handle", a term used by the junta against people it considers agents of foreign governments. Then who is handling the axe-head and inflicting injuries on her, if it isn't her brutal jailors.

"Ordinary people love and trust her. They have no idea whether her tactics are right or wrong. The disillusioned people are those who have worked with her," said a veteran National League for Democracy organizer, talking of Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi.

December 10,1998 was the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Burma is a signatory, but whose current Military rulers have signally failed to honour.On this important anniversary,Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has the following message from the Burmese Capital, Rangoon, for the attention of free Governments around the world.

"Perhaps for the people of Burma today, Article 21 has a special poignancy. This article provides for the right of everyone to take part in the government of his country and declares that the will of the people, which should be the basis of the authority of government, should be expressed in periodic and genuine elections. Eight years ago, democratic elections were held in our country but the resullts of the elections have not been honoured by the military regime and the victorious party, the National League for Democracy, has been subjected to the most gruelling persecution. So for us, as for many others, the struggle for democracy has become synonymous with the struggle for human rights. We would appreciate the world coming out with messages of support and we would like elected parliaments of this world especially, to support our committee."

The current crop of generals came to power in 1988 by brutally crushing a nationwide democracy uprising. More than 3,000 protesters, including Buddhist monks, were gunned down by soldiers. Suu Kyi's attempt to convene parliament in September last year roused the government into arresting nearly a 1,000 NLD members and refusing to release them until they resigned from the party.