Aung San Suu Kyi (Photo, as it appears on www.britannica.com)

June 2 –– In the same press briefing, Boucher chastised the Burmese junta for suppressing human rights protesters. On the Burmese junta’s release of some supporters of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Boucher said, “Regarding the detention of the nine individuals, it is our understanding that the Burmese junta arrested nine young people who were handing out copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on May 30, which was the anniversary of the government-orchestrated attack on National League for Democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. This is an act, I think, which should be –– which should be condemned.

People agitating for human rights is natural and should be allowed, and we don’t believe that anybody should be arrested for the peaceful expression of their views, especially when those views are consistent with universal norms of human rights.”