Mizzima UPDATES Day 3 - 20 May 2009
Mizzima D3
Suu Kyi’s trial a ’half-open court’; defense counsels
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 18:09 - BST
Defense counsels of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said the trial on Wednesday was a ‘half-open’ court but welcomed the authority’s permission to allow foreign diplomats and a few journalists to witness the trial.
Kyi Win, Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer, said all together 30 embassy officials and 10 journalists were present in the court session on Wednesday, where two witnesses were cross examined.
“We don’t know the reasons for allowing the diplomats and journalists but whatever it may be, we believe it is a progressive step. We want to see a more open court, where the public can also be present,” Kyi Win said.
“But now it is only a half-open court,” he added.
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'Suu Kyi steady and in good health’ : Journalists
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 15:52 - BST
The third day of Aung San Suu Kyi's trial, where Bahan Police Station House Officer Tin Zaw Win, as a witness was crossed examined, began at 1:10 p.m. (local time) and ended at 2:10 p.m. (local time).
Below are excerpts from journalists, who were allowed to witness the trial at a special court in Insein prison, on Wednesday:
Wearing a pink coloured top with Yaw longyi, and a black purse, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in court at about 12:50 p.m. (local time) in a saloon car. Khin Khin Win and Win Ma Ma arrived separately in a van.
As usual, she looked confident and steady. She greeted her lawyers and entered the court.
After the witnesses testified, and when the court adjourned, she greeted foreign diplomats, who had come to witness the trial.
Ambassadors of Russia, Thailand and Singapore were able to have a separate meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi after the court session.
Aung San Suu Kyi expressed her concern for not being able to speak to one of the foreign correspondents.
The correspondent, while in the court, had painted a faint picture of the court room and the trial.
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Briefing in front of Insein Prison
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 15:13 - BST
Journalists, who have come out of Insein Prison court, reportedly brifed what they witnessed to their colleagues waiting for them outside Insein prison. According to them, Aung San Suu Kyi’s appears to be in good health and in spirit.
But John William Yettaw, the American man, looked worried and shaken.
But the briefing was cut-short as members of Swan Arrshin, a pro-junta group, stormed in and the journalists and their friends were seen heading towards the National League for Democracy (NLD) office in Shwegondine of Bahan Township.
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Court adjourns for the day, next hearing fixed for May 21
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 15:10 - BST
The court hearing for the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and three others has adjourned for the day. Diplomats, Aung San Suu Kyi’s defence councils and journalists have come out of Insein prison. The next hearing has been fixed for Thursday, May 11 at 10 a.m.
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Buddhist monks protest in Bangkok
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 14:53 - BST
At least 30 Buddhist monks on Wednesday staged a protest rally, chanting ‘metta sutta’, in front of the Burmese embassy in Bangkok, in protest against the trial of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“We are standing in front of the embassy and we are holding aloft he Buddhist religious flag. We are chanting ‘metta sutta’ for the peace of the people. We also read out our demands and gave it to the embassy. Everything was done peacefully,” Ashin U Tayza, the leader of the monks, told Mizzima.
“What is happening today [in Rangoon] is against justice, so we are demanding justice in a peaceful and just way,” the monk added.
While there has been widespread protests by Burmese activists and supporters around the world over the trial of Burma’s Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, it is the first time that Buddhist monks, as a group, has held a protest rally over the trial.
The protesters demanded the immediate cessation of the trial, to release Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, and to kick-start a political dialogue.
In Burma, a predominantly Buddhist country, monks had urged the military regime to begin a dialogue to solve the political crisis in 2007, but had to contend with a brutal crackdown by the military, which killed at least 30 people.
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Foreign diplomats enter Insein prison
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 14:11 - BST
At least 25 cars carrying foreign diplomats and invited special guests along with journalists have entered Insein prison.
Meanwhile, a youth, who was taking photographs outside the Insein prison, was reportedly arrested by plainclothes police but he later escaped, eyewitnesses said.
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State-run paper reports on second day's trial
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 14:09 - BST
Burma’s state-run newspapers on Wednesday carried a report on the second day's trial of Aung San Suu Kyi including the cross examination of five witnesses produced before the court.
On Tuesday five witnesses were cross examied. They were -- Pol Lt-Col Maung Maung Khin, Police Inspector Than Naing, Lance Corporal Myo Lwin, Police Captain Maung Maung Myint of Special Branch (Operation), Tha Sein, Chairman of Ward (4) Peace and Development Council - the reports said.
The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said, Pol Lt-Col Maung Maung Khin told the court that he had interrogated the American citizen John William Yettaw, and that he had entered Aung San Suu Kyi’s house, and was received by Suu Kyi and her two live-in party members, Khin Khin Win and Win Ma Ma, who served him drinking water, biscuits and cookies and also served him meals twice.
During the cross examination, another witness Police Inspector Than Naing from Police Battalion (7) said he had been on duty at the old Kanthaya Hospital near Tadabyu bus-stop on Pyay Road since the morning of May 4 and that on May 6, at 5.30 a.m saw a suspicious object floating in Innya Lake about 100 yards off the bank and found that together with the object was a foreigner. He read out the materials he had seized from the foreigner, the paper said.
Witness Police Captain Maung Maung Myint of Special Branch (operation) told the court that at about 5 am on 6 May, police inspector Than Naing of platoon (3), police battalion (7), handed over to him Mr. John William Yettaw, an American citizen who had left Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's house by swimming across Innya Lake, and that he had checked the materials seized from Yettaw in the presence of Tha Sein, Chairman of Ward (4) Peace and Development Council, and U Soe Myint, the paper added.
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Security Council ponders statement on Suu Kyi trial
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 13:30 - BST
If member states can reach an agreement on language and magnitude, the United Nations Security Council could issue a statement on the trial of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi by Wednesday, New York time.
According to the Security Council's Update Report No. 3 on the situation in Burma, issued yesterday, "The Council is currently negotiating a possible statement reacting to the ongoing trial of Aung San Suu Kyi."
However, though most members are said to be in agreement on the need for a statement, there appears to be a question as to what form such a statement should take.
Specifically, should the Council issue a Press or Presidential statement.
While a Presidential statement carries more authority, somewhat analogous to a Resolution, by demanding compliance with the Council's findings, a Press statement's primary intent is to inform of the Council's opinion on a given topic.
China, Russia and Japan are singled out as having expressed the opinion that a cautious approach is best pursued. However, some members of the Council, including permanent members the United States, United Kingdom and France have already unilaterally condemned the actions of the junta in bringing Suu Kyi to trial.
Russia holds the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of May.
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Ten journalists selected to be present in Suu Kyi’s trial
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 12:45 - BST
Five foreign correspondents and five local journalists have been allowed access to Insein prison court to witness the trial of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi
“Five foreign correspondents and five local journalists have been selected through a lucky-draw system” a foreign correspondent in Rangoon told Mizzima. "We are now entering Insein prison," he said.
The move to allow journalists to witness the trial came after authorities rejected the appeal by Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers and US state department’s call to conduct the trial in an open court in order to allow the public to be present.
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Junta to allow foreign diplomats to meet Suu Kyi
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 11:31 - BST
Some diplomats from foreign embassies will be allowed to meet Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently detained in the notorious Insein prison and facing trial, on the afternoon of Wednesday, diplomatic sources in Rangoon said. Along with the diplomats, Rangoon-based foreign correspondents will also be allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi.
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Burmese Government in exile urges Gambari to revisit
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 11:29 - BST
Burma’s government in exile– the National Coalition Government of Union of Burma (NCGUB) – has urged the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to discuss Burma and immediately resend the UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
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Junta to brief foreign and UN diplomats
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 10:54 - BST
Burma’s military regime is set to brief diplomats from foreign embassies and United Nations agencies on the charges levelled and the ongoing trial against pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Rangoon’s Pyi Road on Wednesday morning.
