Suu Kyi left without a roof

The roof of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s house was blown off in the cyclone over the weekend...

The roof of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s house was blown off in the cyclone over the weekend, and she is living in virtual darkness, a neighbour said on Thursday. It was not clear if Suu Kyi was injured and whether she has enough food and water. The neighbour said the electricity connection to Suu Kyi’s dilapidated lakeside bungalow was snapped in Saturday’s cyclone. He said he sees candles being lit at night in the house.

“She has no generator in her house. I felt pity for her. It seems no one cares for her,” said the neighbour, contacted by telephone

from Bangkok.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

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Suu Kyi has lived under house arrest for about 12 of the last 18 years for leading an internationally hailed movement for democracy in the country that has been ruled by the military with an iron fist since 1962.

The neighbour said a tree in the compound of her house was uprooted while part of the roof was ripped off.

Soldiers posted around house have not yet cleared the trees that were toppled in the area during the cyclone. “This area is of less priority, so they seemed to have ignored us for the time being,” he said.