Burma's democracy leader faces trial

Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was charged today with violating terms of her house arrest and could face a prison term of up to five years.

Lawyer Hla Myo Myint said her trial was due to start on Monday.

The lawyer said Ms Suu Kyi was being tried after an American man sneaked into her home last week.

John Yettaw (aged 53) of Falcon, Missouri, has been charged with entering a restricted zone, and breaking immigration laws.

The lawyer spoke after coming out of the notorious Insein Prison, where Ms Suu Kyi (aged 63) and Mr Yettaw were being held.

Earlier today Ms Suu Kyi was taken to the prison by armed escort.

A trial could justify another extension of Ms Suu Kyi’s years-long detention, which officially ends on May 27.

In the past the junta – which regards the Nobel Peace laureate as the biggest threat to its rule – has found reasons to extend her periods of house arrest, which international jurors say is illegal, even under Burma’s own law.

Mr Yettaw was arrested last week for allegedly swimming a lake to secretly enter Ms Suu Kyi’s home and stay there for two days. His motives remain unclear.

“Everyone is very angry with this wretched American. He is the cause of all these problems,” Ms Suu Kyi’s lawyer, Kyi Win, told reporters.

Mr Kyi Win said Ms Suu Kyi told him she did not invite the American and that she told him to leave her home. The lawyer said that the incident was merely a breach of security in the lakeside area where authorities normally keep close watch over Ms Suu Kyi and her household.

Mr Kyi Win indicated that Ms Suu Kyi would probably be held at Insein Prison since authorities had made arrangements to take care of her house in coming days.

The prison holds both common criminals and political prisoners, with international human rights groups alleging that torture and mistreatment of prisoners are common.

One of many strict rules the junta imposes on citizens is that they must notify officials about any overnight visitor who is not a family member. The law also states that foreigners are not allowed to spend the night at a local’s home.

Some members of Ms Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, have been jailed for about two weeks for breaking that law.

Also to be tried are Ms Suu Kyi’s two helpers – Khin Khin Win (aged 65) and her daughter Win Ma Ma (aged 41) – who have lived with her since she was last detained in 2003.

Ms Suu Kyi has already spent more than 13 of the last 19 years – including the past six – in detention without trial for her non-violent promotion of democracy, despite international pressure for her release.

She has recently been ill, suffering from dehydration and low blood pressure.

According to the US Campaign for Burma, a Washington DC-based lobby group opposed to military rule in Burma, Ms Suu Kyi and her two helpers were to be tried together with Ms Suu Kyi’s personal doctor, Tin Myo Win, and Mr Yettaw.

The doctor was arrested without explanation last week, a day after Mr Yettaw was taken into custody.

In an emailed statement, it said they would they would be charged with violating a section of the Emergency Provision Act on public order and security, which is often used against political dissidents. The charge would carry a maximum prison term of seven years.

The lobby group did not say where it got its information.

A US diplomat was allowed to visit Mr Yettaw on yesterday. Burma state television showed a still photo of the meeting with consular chief Colin Furst. A US diplomat said the meeting lasted 30 minutes and that Mr Yettaw said he had been treated well.

The TV report said the meeting took place at the Aung Tha-byay police station in Rangoon, which in the past has been used for detention and interrogation of suspected political dissidents.