Free Aung San Suu Kyi

The NLD on Wednesday reiterated its call to the junta to release party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and to kick-start a political dialogue for national reconciliation.

The NLD made the call in its eight-page statement issued at the end of the 19th anniversary commemorative ceremony of Burma’s last election held at the party head office in Rangoon’s Shwegondine Street in Bahan Township.The Rangoon North District court sitting inside special court in Insein Prison is appointed by Burma Janta on trial for Noble Laureate and democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday rejected three witnesses submitted by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers, leaving just one remaining defense witness.

Nyan Win, a member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s legal team, told Mizzima that a judge of the special court on Wednesday announced the rejection of three witnesses – Win Tin, Tin Oo and Khin Moe Moe – accepting just Kyi Win as a defense witness.

“There is nothing much I can say. The facts speak for themselves. The prosecution had fifteen witnesses examined and we are left only with one,” Nyan Win said.

On Wednesday, the court heard the testimony of Aung San Suu Kyi’s live-in party members Khin Khin Win and Win Ma Ma, in addition to American Yettaw.

Nyan Win said the court has fixed the next hearing for 10 a.m. (local time) Tuesday but he is not sure whether there will be any examination of the defense witness.

“I think a verdict might be possible by Friday,” said Nyan Win, adding that authorities are in a hurry to get the case over with.

“But we are determined to fight the case in a higher court if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is sentenced,” he added.U.S. President Barack Obama asked Burma's military government to free Democratic opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from detention immediately and without conditions.A statement issued by the White House Tuesday, Mr. Obama condemned her continued house arrest. He said her current trial on charges of violating the terms of her house arrest is a "show trial based on spurious charges."

Aung San Suu Kyi acknowledged during trial on Tuesday that she did not inform Burmese military authorities when an American intruder swam across a lake to be with her Rangoon home in the early morning hours of May 4.She said she allowed American John Yettaw "temporary shelter" until he left the next day for such incident prompted military authorities to charge her with violating terms of her house arrest.In court, the Nobel Peace laureate asserted her innocence.Critics say Burma's military leaders are using the trial as a pretext to keep the opposition leader under detention so she cannot participate in next year's elections. Asian and European Union foreign ministers meeting in Vietnam issued a joint statement Tuesday that mentioned Aung San Suu Kyi. The ministers wrote that, in light of her trial, they are calling for the early release of all those under detention in Burma and for the lifting of government restrictions on political parties.

Several members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, have expressed grave concern about Aung San Suu Kyi's trial. A group of ASEAN lawmakers called for Burma's membership in the regional bloc to be suspended if she continues to be detained.