Washington Post Urges Regime to Free Suu Kyi’s Doctor

By THE IRRAWADDY

The Washington Post has called on Burma’s military rulers to release Aung San Suu Kyi’s personal physician, Dr Tin Myo Win, who has been in custody since an American national was arrested last week for allegedly swimming to the pro-democracy leader’s lakeside house.

The regime has offered no explanation for Tin Myo Win’s arrest, although dissidents speculate that it is intended to implicate him in the case of John William Yettaw, a US citizen who was accused of swimming to Suu Kyi’s house and staying there for two days.

The junta has denied repeated requests from the US embassy in Rangoon for a counsel visit with the detained American.

In an editorial in its Wednesday edition, The Washington Post also touched on US Burma policy, which is currently under review.

On the policy review and the issue of engagement with Burma, the editorial wrote: “So, by all means, the administration should engage with Burma’s leaders. But it should insist on the ability to engage with all of them—including those now behind bars. A good start would be to insist on the release of Tin Myo Win and on freedom for his courageous patient.”

The editorial appears as the debate over alternative approaches to Burma is heating up.

Last week, a number of high-profile opponents of sanctions on Burma gathered in Washington for a closed-door meeting.

Called “Views from the Ground and the International Community,” the forum was presented by the Atlantic Council of the United States, the National Bureau of Asian Research, the US-Asean Business Council and Refugees International.