Prize 'stopped us being forgotten'

From tree planting in Myanmar to a solidarity rally in Washington and flash mobs in Britain, people around the world are holding events to mark the 65th birthday Saturday of Aung San Suu Kyi.Supporters of Myanmar's iconic democracy leader plan to throw a small party for her at one of their houses in northern Yangon, but Suu Kyi won't be there.Instead the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in detention for almost 15 years, is expected to spend a quiet day at her lakeside mansion where she is kept without telephone or Internet access, cut off from the outside world.

From tree planting in Myanmar to a solidarity rally in Washington and flash mobs in Britain, people around the world are holding events to mark the 65th birthday Saturday of Aung San Suu Kyi.Supporters of Myanmar's iconic democracy leader plan to throw a small party for her at one of their houses in northern Yangon, but Suu Kyi won't be there.Instead the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in detention for almost 15 years, is expected to spend a quiet day at her lakeside mansion where she is kept without telephone or Internet access, cut off from the outside world.

Myanmar officials said on Friday that detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be entitled to vote in the upcoming election, despite earlier statements that she would be barred from taking part.Raising confusion over the Nobel Peace laureate's rights and the interpretation of the electoral laws, an official told AFP: "Aung San Suu Kyi and her two live-in maids will get the right to vote."But they will not get permission to go outside on election day."The official, who asked not to be named, suggested: "The authorities might ask them to vote in advance."

Myanmar officials said Friday that detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be entitled to vote in the upcoming election, despite earlier statements that she would be barred from taking part.Raising confusion over the Nobel Peace laureate's rights and the interpretation of the electoral laws, an official told AFP: "Aung San Suu Kyi and her two live-in maids will get the right to vote."But they will not get permission to go outside on election day."The official, who asked not to be named, suggested: "The authorities might ask them to vote in advance."

Myanmar's Supreme Court is due to hear opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's final appeal against her house arrest, due to end days after controversial elections next month.The detention of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate has kept her off the scene for the country's first polls in 20 years, which have been dismissed by critics as a charade aimed at putting a civilian cloak over military rule.