Myanmar ignores US request to see detained citizen

[Coventina]

Source: Associated Press

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The U.S. Embassy said Friday that the Myanmar government has ignored its repeated requests for access to an American arrested for allegedly swimming to the lakeside home of detained Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and sneaking inside.

The man's motives remained unclear, and the embassy said so far the only information the military-ruled government has offered is the man's name — John William Yettaw — and his passport number.

A state-controlled newspaper has reported that the American stayed for two nights until he was caught by authorities on Wednesday morning, swimming away. That information has not been independently verified.

Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years, is rarely allowed visitors by Myanmar's ruling junta. Her home is tightly guarded and she is allowed visits only by her doctor. On infrequent occasions she is allowed out under tight guard to meet with fellow party leaders and visiting U.N. representatives.



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[mmonk]

1. How does it feel?