Suu Kyi blames Burma's military government for 'security breach'
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 | 10:59 AM ET
CBC News
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention for 13 of the past 19 years. (AP File photo)Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi implied in a statement released Wednesday that the country's military government was to blame for a "security breach" related to an American intruder that has landed her in court.
"The fact that I am the only party being prosecuted shows the partiality of the prosecution," the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said in the statement, which was submitted to the court in Rangoon Tuesday and released by her political party Wednesday.
"This incident occurred because of a security breach (by authorities). However, until now no action has been taken on security," Suu Kyi said in the statement.
The charge against Suu Kyi of violating the terms of her house arrest stems from the visit of American John W. Yettaw, 53, earlier this month.
She pleaded not guilty last Friday to the charge, a conviction on which could lead to her being sent to prison for five years.
Yettaw of of Falcon, Mo., was arrested after he swam across a lake to warn Suu Kyi that he had had a dream that she would be assassinated.
When he first tried to visit her house in November 2008, she reported the incident to authorities through her doctor, but no action was taken, Suu Kyi said her statement.
She also intended to report the visit this month through her doctor, Tin Myo Win, but he was not allowed into her house and was later held by authorities for more than a week, the statement said.
A pale and frail-looking Suu Kyi testified in court Tuesday that she allowed Yettaw to stay temporarily because he was too weak and ill to leave immediately.
She is not expected to testify again, although she is to attend the rest of the trial. Yettaw and two women assistants who live with Suu Kyi have also pleaded not guilty to the same charge.
The trial has sparked international outrage from world leaders such as U.S. President Barack Obama, including accusations that the ruling junta is trying to keep Suu Kyi in detention during elections it has planned for next year.
The 63-year-old 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 in Burma, also known as Myanmar.
About 150 activists staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the Burmese Embassy in Phnom Pen, Cambodia, on Wednesday and a similar rally was held in Bangkok.
With files from the Associated PressShare Tools
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