By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – The detained Myanmar opposition leader, Aung San Sun Kyi, missed a scheduled meeting with a United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.  Mr. Gambari, a UN representative on a five-day mission to push for reconciliation between opposition groups and the military, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962.  He met briefly Wednesday with top leaders from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, but his planned meeting with Aung San Sun Kyi did not take place.  Nyan Win, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy, said he did not know why Aung San Sun Kyi did not go, but added, the reason could be that Suu Kyi is not satisfied with the present condition during this visit of Mr. Gambari.  Nyan Win also expressed his concern about Aung San Sun Kyi’s health.

Suu Kyi, who has been confined without trial for more than 12 of the past 19 years, was suffering from low blood pressure and was unable to leave her bed, Japan’s Nikkei news agency reported.  In September 2003, Suu Kyi also underwent gynecological surgery, and was hospitalized in 2006 for a stomach ailment.  The junta stopped allowing her physician to visit her home for monthly medical checkups earlier this year, National League for Democracy member Soe Aung said.

For more information, please:

AFP – UN envoy meets Suu Kyi’s party, but fails to see her – 20 August 2008

Bloomberg – Myanmar Opposition Concerned About Aung San Suu Kyi’s Health – 20 August 2008

New York Times – Myanmar: Opposition Leader Misses U.N. Meeting – 20 August 2008