Monthly Trend Analysis
During the month of November at least 3 activists were arrested, 3 political prisoners were transferred, and 6 political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, were released.

Political prisoners continue to suffer the consequences of inhumane living conditions. At least 142 political prisoners are in poor health due to the harsh prison conditions, transfers to remote prisons where there are no doctors, and the denial of proper medical care.

On 7 November 2010 the first elections in 20 years were held in Burma. This should have been cause for much celebration, instead the day and the weeks preceding were tarnished by extensive disenfranchisement, intimidation, vote buying, violence, arbitrary arrests and consequently a victory by the military backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. These elections presented an opportunity for Burma to make meaningful human rights changes on its own terms, and with the world watching. These changes never happened.

Highlighting the month, just days after the election, was the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Upon her release Daw Suu spoke to the people of Burma about national reconciliation, working in unison, emphasizing that she alone could not bring democracy to Burma. The day after her release, she stated she is willing to talk with General Than Swe. “We [Than Shwe and I] can talk about anything so let’s just talk…let’s speak directly. Everything starts with dialogue and exchange.”She asked the people of Burma to pray for the release of all political prisoners and stated that she would listen to the needs of the people and obey their wishes.

The release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is warmly welcomed by both the international community and the people of Burma and provides much hope for the future. The timing of her release on 13 Novembers is hardly coincidental and should be seen by all as an attempt, on behalf of the regime, to offer distraction from the choreographed and widely condemned elections. If the regime had been genuinely interested in taking the first steps towards a democratic transition, it would have released Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the more than 2,000 political prisoners, who to this day remain incarcerated for their efforts to bring democracy to Burma, prior to the elections and allowed them to take part in the political process.