Myanmar state media accuses detained democracy icon Suu Kyi of using the media dishonestly

Myanmar state media scolds democracy icon Suu Kyi

YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar’s state media accused detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi of using the media to make the country’s military rulers look bad, warning Wednesday it could hurt her efforts to meet with the junta chief.

In recent months, Suu Kyi has sent two letters to Senior Gen. Than Shwe saying she is willing to work with the government to get Western sanctions against Myanmar lifted. In the most recent letter, dated Nov. 11, she requested a meeting with him.

A commentary in Wednesday’s Myanma Ahlin newspaper accused Suu Kyi and her opposition party, the National League for Democracy, of leaking the letter to the media before it reached Than Shwe to put pressure on the government.

Commentaries in Myanmar’s state-run media are viewed as reflections of the junta’s views.

“She should have approached the government in an honest way in order to work out the stalemate,” the commentary said. “Her letters suggest her dishonesty and are designed to tarnish the image of the ruling government.”

“If the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi really want to work together with the government in the national interest, they can deliver letters directly to the head of state,” the commentary said. “They sent letters by post, but the news about the letters had received media coverage, from the Internet down to radio stations, before the letters were received by the person concerned.”

It added: “The attempt of one side to force the other into a corner by making dishonest use of the media might delay the other’s response.”

In her Nov. 11 letter, Suu Kyi also requested permission to meet in her home with leaders of her opposition party.

Suu Kyi has been detained for 14 of the past 20 years, mostly under house arrest.

NLD spokesman Nyan Win said he hoped the commentary did not reflect the junta’s position.

“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi wrote the letter with good intentions for the good of the country,” Nyan Win said. “This (letter) was not confidential and our goal was to make it public at an appropriate time. We did not intend to pressure the government.”

Suu Kyi’s letters are the latest move to try to break the political deadlock that began when the NLD won a 1990 general election. The military refused to allow it to take power and increased repression of the country’s pro-democracy movement, causing the United States and another Western nations to isolate it with economic and political sanctions.

However, the Obama administration, acknowledging that such moves failed to foster reforms, is now seeking to engage the junta through high-level talks instead of simply applying sanctions.