A Burmese pro-democracy group will hold a peaceful gathering this Saturday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the country's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia (BSGM) said in a statement the gathering is aimed at increasing public awareness of the political situation in Burma.

The Dec 8 gathering at Plaza Putra, Dataran Merdeka, will include several speeches, a reading of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee's awarding speech, screening of video shows and signing of petitions.

Despite multiparty elections in 1990 which resulted in victory by the main opposition party, the military regime in the country has continued to hold on to power in the country.

Key opposition leader Suu Kyi, has been held under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, and was again placed under house detention since September 2000. She won the peace price for her commitment to human rights and democracy.

Champion for democracy

The BSGM was set up by Burmese exiles in Malaysia to continue championing for democracy in their country.

In April 2001, the government deported a member of the organisation for staging a protest at the Burmese Embassy party in Kuala Lumpur.

Peter Hee Man was arrested with three Malaysians on March 27 after some 20 activists gatecrashed the embassy party held at a leading hotel and stripped off to reveal T-shirts depicting Suu Kyi.

The United Nations Special Envoy to Burma, Razali Ismail, is presently on his sixth mission to Burma to facilitate conciliatory talks between the government and Suu Kyi.

International pressure had led to the Burmese military government agreeing to hold talks with Suu Kyi last November.

BSGM stated that despite the on-going talks, Suu Kyi remained under house arrest and "systematic human rights violations" continued in Burma.