Suu Kyi heads for house arrest after surgery

26 September 2003, 18:00 PM

Reuters, Yangon

Myanmar's detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was to leave hospital for house arrest at her Yangon home yesterday with visitors to be screened by the military government, her doctor said.

"Anybody who wishes to see her once she is home can make arrangement through the authorities," Dr. Tin Myo Win said in a statement he read to reporters.

He was asked if the Nobel peace laureate, kept in isolation at a secret location for more than three months before going into hospital for surgery last week, would be in custody at home.

"Yes," he replied as at least 150 Suu Kyi supporters gathered outside in hopes of seeing her.

There was no immediate comment from the military government.

Myanmar has been under intense pressure to end Suu Kyi's isolation since she was detained on May 30, with two Southeast Asian envoys visiting Yangon this week and a special UN representative due to fly in next week.

Indonesia, current chairman of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), one of the few groups to allow Myanmar as a member, made clear it wanted the democracy icon freed before its leaders meet in Bali on October 7-8.

"We strongly urge the government of Myanmar to release and halt the restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi ... as soon as possible," Indonesian envoy Ali Alatas told reporters in Jakarta before the news of Suu Kyi's house arrest.

"They did not indicate that she would be released after recuperating, but that's another factor. So, she first has to be better again before they make a decision. That's my impression," Alatas said.

Tin Myo Win said the slight, 58-year-old Suu Kyi was making a strong recovery from major surgery --- said by other doctors to have been for gynecological problems -- but would be under his care for up to eight weeks.

There had been speculation the operation offered a face-saving way out for the military government to allow Suu Kyi to return to house arrest, as she has been for more than half of the last 14 years.

"This is a great opportunity for them to save face and show the international community that they are not ignoring humanitarian concerns over her," an Asian diplomat told Reuters.