YANGON, June 19: Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the detained leader of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, turned 60 on Sunday alone and under house arrest as her supporters here and around the world demanded her freedom.

For the woman known affectionately as “The Lady”, the day was probably much like any other in the past two years she has been under house arrest, allowed no visitors besides a doctor and with her telephone line cut.

But at the headquarters of her National League for Democracy (NLD), hundreds of people gathered to mark the occasion. Security was visibly tighter than normal there and outside her home.

Ten Buddhist monks in orange robes started the day by chanting at dawn inside the dilapidated NLD headquarters. Supporters later clapped and prayed as 10 doves, representing peace, and 60 colourful balloons were released.

Security forces watched and videotaped the event.

Inside the headquarters, NLD central executive committee chairman Aung Shwe read a statement before about 400 guests including diplomats, saying the party prayed for the “longevity, blissfulness and proper health” of Aung San Suu Kyi.

He also hinted at the party’s readiness for talks with the ruling junta.

“I dare say that there would be no difficulties to hold dialogue with the leaders of the armed forces for the establishment of democracy and human rights for the benefit of the nation,” Aung Shwe said.

Police briefly detained 10 NLD members at the Shwedagon pagoda for wearing traditional longyis in the NLD’s official colours of orange and brown, and released them only after they changed their clothes, party sources said.

A small group of elderly Myanmar politicians known as the Veteran Politicians Group marked Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday with a separate service in Yangon at which five more monks recited prayers as the group called for her release and urged the military to open talks with her party.

World leaders including US President George W. Bush and the foreign ministers of Germany and Myanmar’s former colonial ruler Britain also called for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release and praised her as a symbol of freedom.

In Thailand, the respected Thammasat University in Bangkok awarded an honorary doctorate in political science to Aung San Suu Kyi. It was accepted by one of her representatives.

The award was originally bestowed in 1991 but never given because Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for nine of the past 16 years.—AFP