Suu Kyi allowed to meet opposition colleagues

Burma’s military junta allowed the pro-democracy opposition’s top nine members to meet today at the home of Aung San Suu Kyi, where she is under house arrest.

Eight leaders of the National League for Democracy party were driven by government officials to Suu Kyi’s lakeside residence for the meeting, said party spokesman U Lwin.

It is the first meeting of the party’s central committee since last year when Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi and the others were arrested following a May clash between a pro-junta mob and Suu Kyi supporters.

Seven of the committee members have since been released but Suu Kyi, the widow of an Oxford don, and party vice chairman Tin Oo, are still under house arrest.

U Lwin refused to say what was discussed at the meeting, but it was apparently to talk about whether to attend the May 17 National Convention called by the junta to draft a new constitution for Burma.

The government has not asked Suu Kyi or Tin Oo to attend, although letters of invitation have been sent to the other seven members of the central committee.