World Leaders' Response - News Update

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News Title:

Court Trial on Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Location:

Special Court at Insein Prison, Rangoon, Burma

Date:

May 14, 2009

Time:

09:00 (Local Time)

Burma’s democratic leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi faced a court trial at Insein prison of Rangoon, Burma for breaching detention conditions.

May 14 – (Thursday Evening) World Leaders’ Response to Burmese Junta’s Action on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Foreign Minister Stephen Smith (Australia) – The Foreign Minister called the arrest [of Aung San Suu Kyi] “grave and concerning” and demanded her immediate release. Prime Minister Gordon Brown (The United Kingdom) – The Burmese regime is clearly intent on finding any pretext, no matter how tenuous, to extend her unlawful detention. I am deeply disturbed that Aung San Suu Kyi may be charged with breaching the terms of her detention. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (The United State) – The US State Department said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had asked for more information on the developments. “We have seen this report, which is certainly troubling if true,” said spokesman Ian Kelly. Piero Fassino (European Union’s Special Envoy to Burma) - There was “no justification” for the detention. Fassino said the international community should use “every possible means to press for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi” as well as “the 2,000 other political prisoners who are held in Burmese jails.” Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (Thailand) – We would like to see positive steps being taken according to the roadmap. It's very important the political process is inclusive. Tomas Ojea Quintana (The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma) - Since her house is well guarded by security forces, the responsibility for preventing such intrusions, and alerting the authorities, lies with the security forces and not with Aung San Suu Kyi and her aides. [He] called for the “unconditional release” of Aung San Suu Kyi. He also National League for Democracy (Liberated Area)  1   

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said that "all 2,156 prisoners of conscience currently detained by the authorities should be released before the 2010 elections." Amnesty International (UK) – Now more than ever, the Security Council and ASEAN member states must send an unequivocal signal to the generals that they can no longer act with impunity. In the absence of a unified international voice, the Myanmar government will continue to act in utter disregard for human rights.

May 14 (Thursday Morning) 12:30 (Local Time)—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to meet her laywer U Kyi Win and U Hla Myo Myint at the court. After the court adjourned to May 18, she was put into Insein prison, along with her two helpers. 11: 40 (Local Time)—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is charged with breaching detention conditions. 11: 25 (Local Time)—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is now at the Special Court located at Insein Prison in Rangoon. The authority allowed her to meet her five lawyers, U Kyi Win, U Nyan Win, U Aung Thein, U Hla Myo Myint and Daw Khin Htay Kywe. Some officials from the Embassy of the United State in Burma will also present at the court. No other people are allowed to be present at the court. The NLD members, local and foreign correspondents and her supporters are crowded in front of the prison. Until now, a few security personnel are seen in public scene around the prison. 09:00 (Local Time)—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers are waiting for meeting her at Insein prison. 07:00 (Local Time)—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was taken by the Burmese authorities to Insein prison to face a court trail regarding the intrusion of John William Yettaw, an American citizen who was found swimming at Rangoon’s Innya Lake and arrested in the early morning of May 6. Aung San Suu Kyi’s two helpers, Khin Khin Win and Win Pa Pa, were also taken along with her to the court. May 13 (Wednesday) After 16:00 (Local Time)—U Kyi Win was again informed that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi wanted to meet him again. With a surprise, He went to her home. Aung San Suu Kyi told him that she National League for Democracy (Liberated Area)  2   

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and two of her helpers are going to face a court trial. The authority informed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that she would be picked at 7 a.m. on May 14 (Thursday) to face a court trial at the Special Court set up in Insein prison, Rangoon. The authority didn’t let her know about the charge on her. But U Kyi Win believed that it was about John William Yettaw’s sneaking into her house by swimming across the Innya Lake. 16: 00 (Local Time)—Burmese authorities allow U Kyi Win, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer, to meet her at her lakeside home. U Kyi Win explained to her about the Burmese junta’s rejection on her appeal regarding her detention and about the case of John William Yettaw. He explained to her legal conditions set by the Burmese authorities under the State Protection Act and said that she didn’t breach the conditions at all.

May 12 (Tuesday) National League for Democracy (NLD) announced that the party has a serious concern on the health condition of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and asked the authority to give her a sufficient medical treatment which she is entitled to according to the law. The NLD issued Statement 7/05/09 after Dr. Pyone Mo Ei treated her two times in the last few days and found that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not only suffering low blood pressure and dehydration symptoms, but also had difficulty eating last week.

May 11 (Monday) Dr. Pyone Mo Ei visited Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and spent for 4 hours with her to check her health situation. According to the doctor, Daw Suu’s health is improving. She is getting better. There are no worries about her health at this moment. Although she can now eat meals, regular long-term medical checkups are needed, said the doctor.

May 7 (Thursday) Burma’s state newspaper New Light of Myanmar announced that John William Yettaw, an American national, sneaked into the house of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by swimming across the Innya Lake. The Burmese security personnel found him swimming in the lake at 5:30 a.m. early in the morning and arrested him.

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The Burmese authorities allow Dr. Pyone Mo Ei, an assistant of Dr. Tin Myo Win, to visit Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for a medical checkup. The doctor found that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is suffering from low blood pressure and dehydration and gave a treatment to her. Meanwhile, Dr. Tin Myo Win, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s family doctor, was arrested by the authorities in the evening of that day. The authorities first came to pick up Dr Tin Myo Win for his regular visit to give her a medical checkup. After he waited awhile to enter the house, authorities told him that he could not visit her. So he went back home. In the evening, authorities came to the doctor’s house again and took him away. Where he was detained remains unknown.

National League for Democracy (Liberated Area)  4