Thursday, September 4, 2008

DAW SUU WILL MEET ONE OF TWO LIERS AND ASHIN GAMBARIA AT THE UNFAIR COURT


The state-run Myanma Ahlin daily reported Wednesday that the government had arranged a meeting between Suu Kyi _ who has been detained without charge since 2003 _ and Relations Minister Aung Kyi on Tuesday but that she had refused to meet him.
Lawyer Kyi Win, who met Suu Kyi at her lakeside house on Monday, said she had conveyed a message through him that she wished to see the minister but said "she was a little tired and needed some rest."
"I am very upset because Daw Suu had politely conveyed the message through me that she wanted to see U Aung Kyi and also sends her regards to him," Kyi Win said. 'Daw' and 'U' are honorifics conveying respect.
"I am very upset because the message was a misrepresentation by omission," he explained added.
Myanmar's junta appointed Aung Kyi last year to facilitate talks aimed at bringing political reconciliation and democratic reforms to the impoverished and isolated country.
Earlier Wednesday, a spokesman for Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party said on the basis of the newspaper report that any reluctance on Suu Kyi's part to have a meeting indicated her continued frustration at the slow pace of reform in the military-ruled country.
"Aung San Suu Kyi is dissatisfied with the lack of progress from the talks and also unhappy with the lack of a time frame," said Nyan Win.
The 63-year-old Suu Kyi has made several gestures recently whose intention has not been clear. She has repeatedly turned away food deliveries to her house in recent weeks and refused to meet U.N. Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari when he visited Myanmar last month.
After Kyi Win visited her on Monday he said she had lost weight and was shunning food deliveries. He would not comment on rumors that the opposition leader had gone on a hunger strike.
The lawyer said Suu Kyi had asked for "certain living conditions to be solved and that has not happened yet."
He said some of the living conditions involved granting greater freedom of movement to two female companions who live with her and help take care of the house. She also wishes to be allowed access to some publications, Kyi Win said.
Suu Kyi has been detained under house arrest for years and relies on food delivered to her home by her party. Supporters said last week she had not accepted food deliveries since Aug. 15.
Kyi Win declined to say why Suu Kyi was refusing food deliveries.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been in a political deadlock since 1990, when Suu Kyi's party overwhelmingly won general elections but was not allowed to take power by the military.
The United Nations has tried with little success to nudge the government toward talks with the opposition. But the junta has not responded to international pressure to embrace national reconciliation following its violent suppression of massive anti-government protests last year.


Gambira produced in court, 88 generation vows to continue struggle

The Special Branch of the police and prison authorities blocked the defence counsel's way to the court room inside Insein prison of the Rangoon West District Court."I submitted a petition on behalf of my client demanding to allow him to wear his robe in accordance with the existing Burma Jail Manual. The court fixed today to hear the arguments of both sides. But they didn't let me enter the court room today," defence counsel U Pho Phyu said.Aung Thein, Khin Maung Shein, Nyi Nyi Hlaing and Pho Phyu are acting as defence lawyers for their client Gambira.""The defence counsel was not allowed to enter the court room on the date fixed for hearing his argument seeking permission to let the accused wear his saffron robe. It is contrary to section 340 of Criminal Procedural Code (access to lawyer), section 40 of Prisons Act (access to lawyer in prison). Therefore the accused Ashin Gambira is losing his prisoner's right," a lawyer said. Ashin is a prefix for monks in Buddhist majority Burma.In another high profile political case, 35 accused from among 88 Gen Students including its top leaders were produced in court yesterday inside Insein prison. The next hearing is on September 9.They were arrested and tried for joining anti-government protests by marching in a procession, popularly known as the September saffron revolution, against rising fuel and commodity prices. Opposition sources said that No. 1 leader of the 88 Gen Students Ko Min Ko Naing warned the authorities that they would fight and face the consequences if their demands are not met by the authorities.The 88 Gen Students demanded that they be tried in open court in keeping with internationally conceded norms, allow media access to the court proceedings and not to handcuff them in court.The judges' responded saying they would consider not handcuffing them during court hearings, after consulting and coordinating with the concerned administrative officials.

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