New Delhi (Mizzima) – A pro-junta student group on Friday criticized the United States and its citizens for adding fuel to the already complex political imbroglio of Burma and condemned detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi for accepting an alien into her house.
Aye Lwin, leader of the 88 Generation Student and Youth Organization (Union of Myanmar), said the illegal intrusion into the residence of Aung San Suu Kyi by American John William Yettaw has further complicated the already complex political landscape of Burma and has caused more damage than good.
But he also blamed the Nobel Peace Laureate for accepting Yettaw into her home, demonstrating a friendly attitude towards him and for not alerting security agents upon his arrival.
“Whatever the motivation may be, by swimming, he [Yettaw] intruded into her house. So, she [Suu Kyi] should not have accepted him and talked with him,” Aye Lwin said.
“If she had informed the concerned authorities of the presence of the intruder in her house, the matter would be solved,” he added.
Yettaw should have considered the consequences before visiting Aung San Suu Kyi like he did, and should have understood that it would not yield any good, Aye Lwin explained.
“But he doesn’t seem to have a normal head. He should have realized such an action would not produce any good. Now it doesn’t benefit Aung San Suu Kyi either,” he added.
“But instead, the incident has made Burma’s politics even more complex,” he said.
Aye Lwin’s reaction came a day after Burmese authorities charged Aung San Suu Kyi and her two live-in aides, along with Yettaw.
Charges leveled against Aung San Suu Kyi include breaching her detention law by allowing an alien to enter into her house and providing him food, shelter and water. Under the charges, if found guilty, she could be sentenced to a prison term of three to five years, imposed a fine of 5,000 kyats (US$ 5), or incur both penalties.
On May 6, Burma’s state-run newspaper reported that John William Yettaw was arrested on the bank of Inya Lake in Rangoon while swimming back from Aung San Suu Kyi's residence. The report, citing Yettaw’s confession, said he swam to the Burmese democracy icon’s residence on the lakeside on May 3, and stayed until May 5, spending the better part of three nights.
But Nyan Win, spokesperson for the National League for Democracy, on Friday told Mizzima the charges against party leader Aung San Suu Kyi are totally irrelevant, as she did not invite Yettaw in and in fact told him to leave the compound.
“The charge upon her is not fair as she didn’t invite a U.S. man to visit her house. He went there of his own plans,” Nyan Win said.
According to Kyi Win, the personal lawyer of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Laureate said she "didn’t commit any crime" and that she had asked Yettaw to leave immediately upon his arrival. But, he pleaded with her to take a rest for a while as he was exhausted after swimming about two kilometers across the lake.
Meanwhile, opposition groups both inside and outside the country speculate the incident involving Yettaw’s visit to be a systematic ploy masterminded by the junta in order to continue detaining the pro-democracy leader.
Popular speculation on the theory, which is so far unconfirmed, concerns the timing of the charges and trial. On May 27, Aung San Suu Kyi would complete six consecutive years of house arrest, and according to Burmese law, house arrest cannot be extended beyond that period.
Besides, observers speculate that the junta wants to clear Aung San Suu Kyi out of the way before their planned 2010 election, which is the fifth step of the junta’s seven-step roadmap to democracy.
Aye Lwin, however, agrees with the government’s action, “It is the duty of the government to carry out whatever is necessary to do.”
“The government will deal with this case according to existing laws and principles,” Aye Lwin concluded.
Aung San Suu Kyi is currently detained under a judicial remand in a separate house on the premises of Insein Prison in Rangoon and will be produced before the court, for her second hearing, on May 18.
Lawyers Nyan Win, Kyi Win and Hla Myo Myint will represent Aung San Suu Kyi and her two accused live-in assistants, Khin Khin Win and her daughter.
Though the U.S. Embassy says they will ensure that Yettaw receives proper legal representation, so far it is not clear who will represent him.
