Military junta in Burma is still afraid of Suu Kyi

Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is 64 years old, frail and has spent 14 of the last 20 years in detention, most under house arrest. Yet, the military rulers of Myanmar, formerly Burma, are afraid to let Suu Kyi live freely among the people. That was again demonstrated this week when junta Chief Senior Gen. Than Shwe ordered her to serve an 18-month sentence under house arrest for a crime she did not commit.

International condemnation of Than’s act of inhumanity was swift and harsh.

President Barack Obama called the conviction of the opposition leader a violation of “the universal principle of human rights.”

Obama said Suu Kyi should be released immediately, adding that her case is a reminder of other political prisoners in Burma who are denied liberty for wanting a government that respects the will of its people.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called her sentence “monstrous,” while French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Suu Kyi’s continued imprisonment was “brutal and unjust.”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he “deplores” the military government’s decision, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for the release of all political prisoners in Myanmar.

But, there is nothing to suggest that Than and his henchmen will bow to such condemnation or even pressure from the tightening of economic sanctions promised by Sweden, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

Next year’s election

Given the circumstances of the democracy leader’s trial, guilty verdict and sentence, there is only one credible explanation for what is going on: The military junta, which has called for elections next year, does not want Suu Kyi actively involved in any way. Her mere presence on the streets of Yangon and other population centers would trigger a popular uprising that the rulers would be hard-pressed to contain.

They thus had to find a way of removing her from sight — short of taking the extreme measure of killing her, which would make her a martyr and create a national crisis. Enter John Yettaw, a 53-year-old American, who thought he was on a mission from God to save Suu Kyi when he swam across a lake on the night of May 3, arrived at her house uninvited and stayed two nights before trying to swim back secretly.

Yettaw of Falcon, Mo., was overweight, asthmatic and suffering from borderline diabetes. He arrived at the back door of her home and collapsed with cramps in both legs. Even though he was moaning in pain, Suu Kyi would not let him in. It was only after dawn that he was permitted to enter the house. Suu Kyi told him to leave, but he complained of ill health. He stayed two days and then attempted to swim back and was arrested.

The Nobel laureate was charged with violating her house arrest. She said that as a humanitarian she could not turn away someone who was suffering.

Yettaw was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment with hard labor.

The facts in the case make it clear this was nothing more than the delusions of a disturbed mind — his 17-year-old son was killed in a motorcycle in August 2007, recently another son died, and he received a head injury during military service that caused blackouts and seizures and he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Indeed, last November he tried to visit Suu Kyi, but was turned away. He left behind some religious books.

All this came out during the trials, but the military junta had the excuse it needed for not to free the peace activist.

International pressure must be brought to bear on the government of Myanmar to right this wrong.