HIV,AIDS patients face eviction from shelter after Suu Kyi visit

A day after her visit,government officials told patients they would have to leave by next week or face legal action because the center’s permit was not being renewed,said Phyu Phyu Thin,a pro-democracy activist who founded the operation. By law,home owners must seek government permission every two weeks to allow visitors to stay overnight.

“We have been allowed to renew our resident permits in the past. I think authorities want to pressure us because of aunty’s (Suu Kyi’s) visit to the shelter,” said Zeyar,a member of Suu Kyi’s officially disbanded political party and one of the organisers of the shelter. The shelter,which includes a small wooden house and a two-story building of wood and thatch walls,currently accommodates 82 patients including young children,offering them housing,food,medicine and educational opportunities. Zeyar said health authorities offered Saturday to move the patients to their own HIV center. “The patients have the right to make their own choice. The pressure by local authorities has made our patients very sad,which will adversely affect their health,” he said. Some patients were defiant. “I will never move out of the shelter,” said 45-year old Ma Yi Yi Nyunt,who arrived at the shelter in September. “I could have been dead by now had I not been taken to this place. This place is a haven for people like us,” said a 45-year old Maung Ohn.