NEW DELHI: The Solidarity Committee for Burma's Freedom Fighters has appealed to the Indian Government to support the Burmese peoples' struggle for restoration of democracy in their country by immediately releasing the 34 Burmese freedom fighters at present detained in Presidency jail in Kolkata.

The committee was releasing its second publication entitled "Celebrating Solidarity", on the occasion of the 62nd birthday of Burma's democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on June 19. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been kept under detention for more than eleven years by a cruel brutal military regime in Rangoon.

The statement said 34 Burmese freedom fighters languishing in Kolkata jail are victims of the shift in India's policy towards the Myanmar military junta. India betrayed the movement for restoration of democracy when they decided to support the military generals instead of supporting the freedom fighters in exile in India.

It said intelligence agencies have tried to prevent the trial of these Burmese freedom fighters and they even instigated a riot in the jail. It was after intervention that the West Bengal Government withdrew its order directing the trial to be held inside the jail. The publications contains letter sent by one of the freedom fighters in jail, Thein Oung Gyaw.

The letter speaks volumes for the terrible conditions under which these political prisoners have been held. The publication includes letters written to the Solidarity Committee by various Burmese resistance groups in exile in India, Thailand and Bangladesh. There is a letter from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's own party. These letters reflect the fact that these Burmese prisoners are indeed freedom fighters. Unfortunately they have still not been even recognized as political prisoners by the West Bengal Government.

The Solidarity Committee has been formed to express solidarity with the Burmese democracy and resistance movements and to campaign for the release of 34 Burmese freedom fighters, who have been detained in India since February 1998, first in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and now in Presidency Jail, Kolkata.