NUG Welcomes Meeting Between State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ICRC, Reiterates Call for Immediate Release of All Political Prisoners

The National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement yesterday, August 4, expressing its wholehearted welcome to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for visiting State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is being unjustly arrested and detained. The NUG stated that the ICRC's private visit to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on August 3, under the heading of humanitarian concerns, has brought a measure of joy and relief to the people, as it has been confirmed that the leader, with whom contact has been lost for many years, is still alive. However, the statement pointed out that this meeting was not due to the goodwill of the military junta, but solely the result of continuous pressure from the international community and the unwavering demands of the public, and that concerns about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's health and her detention conditions have not yet diminished. Furthermore, the NUG strongly warned that this single meeting cannot substitute for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and that the military junta should not be allowed to use this meeting to legitimize itself or to cover up the crimes it has committed. The NUG expressed gratitude to the United Nations, ASEAN, and the international community for their assistance in the release of political prisoners and for humanitarian access, and reaffirmed its commitment to continue fighting alongside its allies for the eradication of the military dictatorship and the emergence of a federal democratic union.