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Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced this week to an additional 18 months under house arrest.
She was charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest by harboring an American tourist who swam across a lake bordering her villa and entered her heavily guarded property uninvited.
In the Mon State, people are watching exiled television to get the news about the trial and are upset and frustrated.
Our correspondent Banyor Kong Janoi reports from Mon State.
In a coffee shop in Mon State people are discussing the Suu Kyi verdict.A man who drives a motorcycle found out the news while watching exiled television the Democratic Voice of Burma in a secret place.
Some people try to silence him. It is risky to talk about political issues in public.
While others like Nai Oo join in the debate saying the regime is creating enemies of the people.
We go to a safe place so he can talk more.
“Now we can see in every coffee shop people are discussing Daw Suu Kyi trial. We are very angry with the regime because they never do anything good for the country. Their cruelty has gone too far it’s time to begin repairing our nation.”
Nai Oo says nobody gets a fair trial in Burma.
“It is really strange with the Suu Kyi trial because in my opinion she is nice person, we accept her as our leader. She did not do any bad things. It just that they want to remove her from the 2010 election.”
Indeed the ruling means that she will not be able to take part in junta’s planned elections next year.
They will be the first vote since 1990, when her party won overwhelmingly but was never allowed to take power.
Community leader in the Mon State Nai Lawi says the military regime is very worried Suu Kyi will win again.
“At the moment, they are afraid of her being an obstacle for their election if she free. They will release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi if when she can do no harm to them when they can control the country as they wish and they can generate their military rule forever.”
Her conviction and continued detention were condemned by world leaders and sparked demonstrations in cities from London to Japan.
The European Union is preparing new sanctions and a group of Nobel laureates, including the Dalai Lama has called on the UN Security Council to take strong action against the country.
But Community leader Nai Lawi is not convinced this will affect the junta.
“They will not listen to anyone when it comes to releasing Daw Suu and other political prisoners. They will not care if the International community does not recognize their election, they don't care; they will do whatever they want.”
New Mon State party spokesperson Hong Sa Boung Khine says Suu Kyi must be released in order to solve the political dead-lock in the country.
“She has one of most important the political roles to play in Burma. Without her we can’t move forward.”
Back in the coffee shop Nai Oo says the people will stage another uprising against the military soon.
"If the military regime can’t solve our economic and political problems there will be another revolution again but I don’t know when and how. But at that time, we need to be ready to achieve our goal."
