Suu Kyi Companion Hospitalized

Suu Kyi Companion Hospitalized: NLD By WAI MOE

Saturday, September 6, 2008

A woman living with Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been hospitalized, leaving the detained democracy activist alone under house arrest and adding to concerns about her well being, according to a spokesman for the National League for Democracy (NLD). NLD spokesman Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy that one of two women living with Suu Kyi was hospitalized earlier today and that her mother, Suu Kyi's other companion, was also at the hospital taking care of her daughter. "We don't have any details about her health problem. We are trying to find out now," said Nyan Win. The hospitalized woman has been identified only as the daughter of Khin Khin Win, an NLD member who has lived with Suu Kyi periodically since 1997. Khin Khin Win and her daughter have stayed in Suu Kyi's home continuously since she was released from prison and placed under house arrest in September 2003. The two women, who are Suu Kyi's only companions, assist her with housekeeping and cooking meals, said party sources. Meanwhile, the NLD said that Suu Kyi is still not accepting food supplies that the party normally delivers to her home every Friday. In a statement released yesterday, the NLD said that Suu Kyi has not accepted any food for the past three weeks. The statement also urged Burma's military junta to ensure her well being. "We expressed our concerns about her situation. At the moment, only the authorities know about her condition. We are worried about her," said Nyan Win. According to the NLD statement, Suu Kyi's has refused to accept her food supplies in protest against her unlawful detention, and also to demand greater freedom of movement for her two female companions, who have been forbidden to leave Suu Kyi's home. The statement also said that Suu Kyi is protesting the authorities' failure to honor a promise to allow her to receive monthly medical checkups by her physician. A doctor visited Suu Kyi on August 17, but her previous checkup was in January, the statement said. Suu Kyi also has severely limited access to her lawyer, Kyi Win, with whom she is preparing a legal appeal against her detention, which was extended in May. During her most recent meeting with her lawyer on August 17, she also instructed him to look into the legality of restrictions placed upon Khin Khin Win and her daughter. Kyi Win told The Irrawaddy that Suu Kyi noted that since the women have not been charged with or convicted of any offense, it was illegal to restrict their movements. Meanwhile, sources said that six activists were arrested in Rangoon on Friday. The six were identified as Zin Min Shine, Tay Zar, Ball Lay, Doo Lay, Maung Nge and Zaw Latt.