Foreign Office Minister Douglas Alexander MP today called for the immediate release from detention of ten Shan politicians charged with sedition in Burma.

Mr Alexander said:

'I am concerned that ten Shan politicians including Sai Htin and Khun Tun Oo, arrested in early February, are now facing charges of sedition. These charges are unjustified, and appear to be aimed at preventing politicians from participating in the National Convention.

'These developments underline our view that the Convention, which was only just recently re-convened, will not promote national reconciliation or help to resolve the ethnic minority problems which have beset Burma for decades and retarded its development.

'I call on the Burmese regime to release immediately the ten Shans and to give due weight to the proposals made by the ethnic groups in the National Convention.'