Prosecution gives final arguments in Suu Kyi case

YANGON – Prosecutors for Myanmar’s military regime gave their closing arguments in the trial of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday as the internationally condemned case drew towards its climax.

Lawyers for an American man who sparked the trial by swimming uninvited to Suu Kyi’s house in May and for the Nobel Peace Laureate’s two aides also gave their final arguments to the prison court, officials said.Suu Kyi faces up to five years in jail on charges of violating her house arrest following the bizarre incident when John Yettaw crossed a lake to reach her house and warn her of a ‘vision’ that she would be assassinated.A Myanmar official said the trial at Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison would resume today for the defence side to answer the prosecution’s points, but that the verdict would be announced at a later date.’The prosecution side finished its case and tomorrow there will be a reply by the defence,’ the official said on condition of anonymity.Details of what was said in court on behalf of Yettaw and for the two aides, Khin Khin Win and Win Ma Ma, were expected to emerge later from Suu Kyi’s legal team.They gave their closing statements for Suu Kyi on Friday.Nyan Win, one of Suu Kyi’s lawyers and also a spokesman for her National League for Democracy, said it could be ‘two or three weeks’ before a verdict.Diplomats from the United States, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines were allowed to attend the morning session of yesterday’s hearing but not the afternoon’s. Most of the trial has been behind closed doors.The case has unleashed a storm of international outrage, with critics saying Myanmar’s ruling junta is using the charges as an excuse to keep Suu Kyi locked up for elections promised by the regime next year.The trial began just days before the latest period of her house arrest was due to expire. She has spent most of the last two decades in detention since the junta refused to recognise her party’s victory in elections in 1990.Rights group Amnesty International was set to award Suu Kyi its highest honour later yesterday, during a concert by Irish rock band U2.Suu Kyi will be named Amnesty’s Ambassador of Conscience for 2009, a largely symbolic honour previously awarded to the likes of South African former president Nelson Mandela and ex-Czech president Vaclav Havel.It was to be announced by U2 singer Bono during a concert by the band in Dublin later yesterday, Amnesty said. U2 have also previously won the award.’This month marks the 20th anniversary of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s arrest and 20 years since Amnesty International declared her a prisoner of conscience,’ said Amnesty’s secretary general Irene Khan.’In those long and often dark years, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has remained a symbol of hope, courage and the undying defence of human rights, not only to the people of Myanmar but to people around the world.’Myanmar’s state media on Sunday hit back at US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who called for Suu Kyi’s release during Asia’s biggest security forum, held in Thailand, last week.’This is really interfering with ASEAN’s (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) internal affairs,’ said the state-run Myanma Ahlin newspaper, referring to the regional bloc of which Myanmar is a member.- Nampa-AFP