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Sunday, September 16, 2012

Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi to Get US Congress' Highest Honor


Nobel Prize-winning Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi Monday begins a two-week tour of the United States, where she is to receive Congress' highest honor.

Aung San Suu Kyi will spend the first four days of her visit in Washington - meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. 


She also is expected to meet with President Barack Obama and make appearances at the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. 

Other stops on her visit include the states of California, Kentucky and Indiana, where the city of Fort Wayne is home to one of the country's largest Burmese-American communities. 

Her visit coincides with next week's visit by Burmese President Thein Sein, who will address the United Nations General Assembly.

President Obama is considering relaxing some of the tough sanctions imposed on Burma because of the former military government's poor human rights record. 

Conditions have improved since a civilian government came to power last year, including freedom for hundreds of political prisoners. Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent nearly 20 years under house arrest, is now a member of the Burmese parliament.

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