Friday, June 5, 2009

Court delays Aung San Suu Kyi trial,/ Peace Walk to Burma


Closing arguments in the case of the Nobel laureate were adjourned for a third time, without explanation, until June 12, her lawyer Nyan Win said.

"The hearing has been put back," he told Reuters. "No reason was given."

Suu Kyi's political party has expressed "grave concern" about her health during the trial, but Nyan Win said she appeared fit and well when she stood before the court early on Friday.

"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was also present today, she is in good health," he added.

Suu Kyi's lawyers on Friday told the Yangon Division Court that a lower court's decision to accept only one defense witness, while hearing 14 from the prosecution, was grossly unfair.

"This is not in accord with the law to reject defense witnesses like this. We pointed it out," Nyan Win said.

Judges postponed until June 9 their ruling on whether to re-instate the banned defense witnesses, Win Tin, a senior National League for Democracy (NLD) member, the party's detained vice-chairman Tin Oo, and lawyer Khin Moe Moe.

Suu Kyi, 63, faces three to five years in prison if found guilty of breaking the terms of her house arrest by allowing an American intruder to stay for two days after he swam to her home on May 4.

A conviction is widely expected in the former Burma, where the courts routinely bend the law to suit the country's military rulers.

LAWFUL TRIAL?

The junta insists the trial will unfold "according to the law." Critics say the charges have been trumped up to keep the charismatic NLD leader in detention during elections next year.

***********Refugees are walking to bring peace to Burma*************************
They are burning our villages, raping the ladies and forcing children into the military. We need coordinated actions from the international community," he said. "I chose on my own to become a soldier."

Now he, along with four other Myanmar refugees, is making a peace walk from Fort Wayne, Ind., to New York City. Part of their walk took them through Putnam County as they walked down U.S. Route 224 carrying signs.

The five-member group is in solidarity with the Long March and Hunger Strike campaign that is urging the U.N. Security Council to take action for the freedom of Myanmar and for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and 2000 U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom award winner who is now in jail.

"We used our own money to come over and do this walk," Min Oo said. He said they would present a petition to the U.N. Security Council upon their arrival in New York City. "We are campaigning for the freedom of Burma [the former name of Myanmar] and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi."

Min Oo said they sometimes stay in hotels and other times camp out on their journey. They left Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 27 when Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest was supposed to have ended. They plan to arrive in New York City by Sept. 9 and make their presentation on Sept. 27.

"Our country has been under military control for two decades. We feel this peace march is very important. Dire situations call for dire actions from the international community," Min Oo said.

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