Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi spent her 59th birthday under house arrest on Saturday as supporters held a vigil in the capital Yangon and Western governments pressured the country's military rulers to free her.
The junta released six members of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) on Friday, party officials said. But there was no sign the Nobel peace laureate or her vice-chairman, U Tin Oo, would be freed any time soon.
They are the last NLD officials detained since a bloody clash between opposition and government supporters in May last year led to Suu Kyi's arrest and a crackdown on her party.
Around 300 NLD members released doves on Saturday during a ceremony outside the party's ramshackle headquarters in Yangon.
"It seems that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was sent to us by the guardian angels of the world. We are very lucky to have such a great leader," NLD secretary U Lwin told supporters.
He called for Suu Kyi's immediate release from her lakeside home in Yangon, where she has been confined several times during her nearly 16-year democracy struggle.
After the ceremony, about 200 women went to a nearby ancient pagoda where they prayed for Suu Kyi's freedom.
"I have mixed feelings. I'm so glad and proud to have this opportunity to honour our great leader, who is also just like mother for us," said Ma Khin Suu. "At the same time, I feel so sad that she's alone and still under house arrest."
The United States, which has vowed to renew sanctions on Myanmar for another year, said Suu Kyi inspired "those who support democracy and freedom around the world".
"She has continued her struggle on behalf of democracy and human rights in Burma for almost 16 years. Sadly, in eight of those years she has spent her birthday under detention," State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said in a statement.
"We look forward to the time when she will be able to celebrate her birthday in a free and democratic Burma."
The military, which has ruled the impoverished Southeast Asian nation since 1962, insists it is moving towards democracy.
Yangon opened a convention on May 17, with delegates from across the country charged with drafting a new constitution, the first step on its so-called "road map to democracy".
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