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DAPSY calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other pro-democracy activists on the occasion of her 58th birthday   Media Statement by John Chung (Petaling Jaya, Thursday): DAPSY has today forwarded a protest letter to the Burmese Embassy calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Burmese Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Price laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and all other pro-democracy activists.  Today marks the occasion of the 58th birthday of Suu Kyi and the 19th day of her detention by the Burma military junta since the May 30 junta crackdown on activists of the National League for Democracy (NLD).  DAPSY expresses our solidarity with Burmese pro-democracy forces all over the world in protesting the undemocratic detention of Suu Kyi and other NLD and pro-democracy activists and calling for their immediate release.  We also express our grave concern at the draconian security law under which Suu Kyi and the other activists are detained, namely the State Protection Act 1975, which allows for indefinite detention without trial.   The official reason given for the detention of Suu Kyi as only one of ‘protective custody’ is difficult to accept and justify when the military junta has to resort to such undemocratic security law as under the legislation, a person can be held incommunicado up to six months.  DAPSY also expresses our regret that there had been little or no tangible progress in terms of talk, dialogue and negotiation between the ruling military junta and Opposition forces for over a year since the release of Suu Kyi from her 20-month long house detention on May 6, 2002.   Instead of taking concrete steps towards democratization and national reconciliation, the situation in Burma has deteriorated as a result of the May 30 incident, taking the country backward rather than forward.  We therefore demand that the military junta heed the various local and international calls urging the release of Suu Kyi and all other pro-democracy activists by freeing them immediately and unconditionally so as to pave the way for the revival of serious and genuine political dialogue in line with the aspirations of the Burmese people for democratization and national reconciliation. (19/6/2003) * John Chung, DAPSY International Affairs Secretary