November 24, 2000 17:19

U2'S CRIMINAL RECORD

And if you feel like bringing 'All that You Can't Leave Behind' into Burma you could be looking at 20 years in prison...

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Anyone importing U2's new album 'ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND' to BURMA could face up to 20 years in prison, after the record was banned because of the track 'WALK ON', which is dedicated to the country's pro-democracy leader DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI.

All items which make reference to the National League For Democracy leader - who was placed under house arrest along with the rest of her senior colleagues a month ago by the totalitarian military government of the country - have been banned, and anyone found bringing them into the country could face from three to 20 years imprisonment.

U2 have been spearheading a campaign to raise awareness of human rights violations in the country. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi received the Freedom of the City of Dublin at the same time as U2.

According to a Democratic Voice of Burma correspondent Myint Maung Maung: "The album was banned because it includes a
song 'Walk On'- dedicated to Aung San Suu
Kyi and the democracy movement in Burma." Another song by Thai singer
Kewsan was banned in 1995, while an Indian film comparing the political
activities of Indira Ghandi, assassinated former Indian Prime Minister,
and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was banned from being shown at cinemas in Burma.

U2's website, www.u2.com, details Burma's human rights violations, and urges their fans to contact their governments and urge them to boycott a meeting between EU and South East Asia ministers this month. UK supporters can protest to the Foreign Secretary Robin Cook at the following address - www.fco.gov.uk/feedback.asp.