US citizen Yettaw to be deported

by Mizzima News
Saturday, 15 August 2009 19:09

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Burmese military junta agreed to deport US national John William Yettaw, who was sentenced to seven years in prison on Tuesday, for illegally breaking into Aung San Suu Kyi’s house, on humanitarian grounds, sources in the military establishment said.

Sources said, the authorities issued an order stating Yettaw be deported to the United States instead of serving seven years in prison in Burma, on grounds of his health.

“The American John Yettaw is hereby ordered to be deported to his home country on humanitarian grounds in consideration of his health,” the source, citing a government order, said.

According to a statement by Webb’s office, Yettaw will be flown to neighboring Thailand along with visiting Senator on Sunday.

The Burmese authorities had already decided to deport Yettaw even before Webb’s visit, the source said. But the issue was also raised during Webb’s meeting with Burmese officials.

Yettaw was sentenced to seven years in prison with hard labour on charges of illegally breaking into Aung San Suu Kyi’s house, violating the immigration law, and swimming in a restricted area.

His co-defendant, Aung San Suu Kyi and her two live-in party mates, who were charged with violating her detention terms for allowing Yettaw into her house, were also handed down three years in prison with hard labour.

But a special order issued by the country’s military supremo Snr Gen Than Shwe commuted their sentence to half and allowed the other half to be served at Aung San Suu Kyi’s home.