BBC Learning English
Words in the News
25th January 2010
Burma may release Aung San Suu Kyi
Reports from Burma suggest the military government may be planning to release the pro-
democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, later this year. Sources say a Burmese official told a
meeting of local officials that Ms Suu Kyi would be freed in November. Rachel Harvey
reports:
Burmese officials have hinted many times that Aung San Suu Kyi may be released. But it is
the first time in recent months that a putative date has been attached to the idea.
The comments are reported to have been made by a senior minister at a provincial town
meeting four days ago. It's a measure of how tightly information is controlled in Burma that
it's taken this long for the reports to filter out.
Aung San Suu Kyi's own lawyer told the BBC he had heard the rumour but could not
confirm it. And if indeed she is released in November, key questions about the terms of Aung
San Suu Kyi's possible freedom remain. Would there be conditions attached? Would her
activities be restricted? And, crucially, would her release come before or after planned
elections?
There is also the matter of the legal appeal against Aung San Suu Kyi's current detention.
The Supreme Court is due to deliver its verdict in the next couple of weeks. But if the
military government says she'll continue to be detained until at least November, the court's
decision has been somewhat undermined.
Rachel Harvey, BBC Southeast Asia correspondent, Bangkok
Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2010
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Vocabulary and definitions
hinted suggested that something might happen without saying
definitely that it would
a putative date a date which is believed to be correct
to filter out to become public knowledge
the rumour the suggestion, without proof, that something might be
true
confirm say something is true
key very important
crucially very importantly
detention situation of not being free
is due to deliver its verdict is about to make its decision known
undermined made to have little importance
More on this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8478199.stm
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2010/01/100125_witn_burma.shtml
Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2010
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