Prosecutor makes some concessions on Suu Kyi
(DVB)–The first witness called in the prosecution of Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday acknowledged that she had not violated a condition under which she is forbidden to make contact with an external political body.
Speaking to DVB, Suu Kyi’s lawyer, Kyi Win, said that the first day of the trial yesterday against the Burmese opposition leader had heard a statement from prosecutor, Lieutenant Colonel Zaw Min Aung.
“We read out the restriction order against Daw Suu, which pointed out that she is prohibited from meeting with foreign diplomats and people with links to political organizations, to [Zaw Min Aung] and asked him if that would be correct to say she didn’t violated this prohibition, and he said that was correct,” said Kyi Win.
Suu Kyi is on trial for allegedly breaching conditions of her house arrest following the intrusion of US citizen John Yettaw, who stayed at her compound earlier this month where she has been detained for 13 of the last 19 years.
If convicted she could be imprisoned for up to five years.
“Then we continued to ask him, based on accusations that Daw Suu had violated a restriction against her from making contacts with the outside world such as talking to people on the phone, if he knew her phone line has been cut off since 2003,” said Kyi Win.
“He didn’t give a clear answer on that.”
The trial is being held behind closed doors in a special court inside Rangoon’s Insein prison. Kyi Win said their request to the court to open the trial for the public was rejected.
Many Burmese in exile have vented their anger at Yettaw, who swam across Inya Lake on the night of 3 May and stayed at Suu Kyi’s compound. It has transpired that he made the same trip last year.
“When [Yettaw] showed up at Daw Suu’s house, she told him to leave at once.,” said Kyi Win.
After complaining of muscle cramps, Suu Kyi allowed him to sleep on the ground floor of her house.
“She also had to feed him, because [it is a tradition] even to feed a stray dog who shows up at your door, and this time we are talking about a human,” said Kyi Win.
The trial continues.
Reporting by Naw Say Phaw
