VOA标准英语2009-Aung San Suu Kyi Charged With Violating House Ar

Lawyers for detained Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi says she is being charged with violating the terms of her house arrest and will soon face trial. The charges appear related to an American man who also faces charges for sneaking¹ into her house. Her supporters say the charges are an excuse to keep her locked up.World leaders have expressed concern about news that Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been taken to a Rangoon prison.
　
Burmese opposition² leader Aung San Suu Kyi (File)

Burmese authorities took Aung San Suu Kyi to court, Thursday morning, along with two of her maids.

One of her lawyers, Kyi Win, told VOA she was charged with violating her house arrest in connection with an American man sneaking into her compound.

Kyi Win says a hearing has been scheduled for Monday. He says Aung San Suu Kyi was charged with breaching³ Act 22, which outlaws⁴ "destructive elements" of the state. He says she denies committing any acts related to the charge.

The American man, John Yettaw, was arrested last week after swimming across a lake and spending two nights in Aung San Suu Kyi's residence.

The democracy leader has been detained in her house for most of the last 18 years and is rarely allowed visitors.

Yettaw has been charged with violating security and immigration laws.

Richard Mei, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon, told VOA that Yettaw also appeared at the court today and is expected to be at the hearing next week, as well. He says, after some days of getting no response from the Burmese authorities, the embassy was finally granted access to Yettaw.

"The embassy has overall, ever since last Thursday, when we first received notice from the foreign ministry⁵ about this man's arrest, that we've conveyed the U.S. government's strong interest in his case and our concerns for his health, welfare and fair treatment," said Mei.

It is not clear why Yettaw entered the Nobel Peace Prize winner's compound or what he did during the two days.

Aung San Suu Kyi's supporters say the charges are an excuse to extend her detention⁶, which expires on May 27.

Burma's military government routinely extends her house arrest, but these new charges could put her in prison for up to five years.

The charges come at a politically sensitive time for Burma.

The Burmese generals have planned new elections in 2010, as part of what they call the country's "roadmap to democracy."

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party overwhelmingly won the country's last elections in 1990, but Burma's military rulers ignored the results and placed her under house arrest.

In preparation for these new elections, the military has already forced through constitutional changes that will allow it to maintain power, no matter which parties are elected.

The plan has been widely criticized by rights groups and western governments.

1 sneaking   

a.秘密的，不公开的

参考例句：

• She had always had a sneaking affection for him. 以前她一直暗暗倾心于他。
• She ducked the interviewers by sneaking out the back door. 她从后门偷偷溜走，躲开采访者。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 breaching   

攻破( breach的过去式 )； 破坏，违反

参考例句：

• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。
• Third, an agency can abuse its discretion by breaching certain principles of judge-made law. 第三，行政机关会因违反某些法官制定的法律原则而构成滥用自由裁量权。

4 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。