The authorities detained 13 opposition party members on June 19 who had called for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on her 63rd birthday1. The UNHCR urged the military not to make politically motivated arrests and also insisted that all political prisoners should be released immediately2.

Meanwhile, schools in the cyclone-hit areas were reopened. ASEAN’s Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan also asserted that ‘a new ASEAN’ had emerged from its response towards the Myanmar cyclone3.

• 1. “13 detained in Myanmar after pro-democracy support,” Associated Press, June 20, 2008, at http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hOXLU5rDI6tFD9JOFMn25qr7-LpAD91DAEKG1
• 2. “UNHRC asks Myanmar to release political prisoners,” The Hindu, June 19, 2008, at http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200806191342.htm
• 3. “Secretary-General: New ASEAN emerge from response to Myanmar cyclone,” Xinhua, June 18, 2008, at http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/18/content_8393467.htm