Suu Kyi, Tax Rebel

Kerry Howley | January 18, 2007

Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi has accused the Myanmar dictatorship of mudering its own people, forcibly relocating minorities, and holding the nation hostage. In retaliation, the government regularly accuses Suu Kyi of parking violations. But this , I think, is new:

State media on Thursday accused pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi of evading taxes by spending her money from the 1991 Nobel Peace prize and other awards overseas.

Suu Kyi, the country's opposition leader, has been in prison or under house arrest for 11 of the last 17 years.

Explains the always interesting state-controlled New Light of Myanmar:

She avoided paying taxes to the State by asking her family members abroad to spend all her cash awards provided by international organizations and honorariums presented for her works she had created abroad instead of spending the money in the country...

It was very considerate of the government to put only restriction on her, instead of punishing her in accordance with law.