Myanmar democracy leader lost roof in cyclone, says neighbor

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is living in virtual darkness after the devastating cyclone that struck the country blew the roof off her house, a neighbor said Thursday.

It was not clear if Suu Kyi was injured and whether she has enough food and water.

The neighbor said the electricity connection to Suu Kyi's dilapidated lakeside bungalow was snapped in Saturday's cyclone. He said he sees candles being lit at night in the house.

"She has no generator in her house. I felt pity for her. It seems no one cares for her," said the neighbor, who was contacted by telephone from Bangkok. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has lived under house arrest for about 12 of the last 18 years for leading an internationally hailed movement for democracy in Myanmar, which has been ruled by the military with an iron fist since 1962.

The neighbor said a tree in the compound of her house was uprooted while part of the roof was ripped off.

Soldiers posted around house have not yet cleared the trees that were toppled in the area during the cyclone.

"This area is of less priority, so they seemed to have ignored us for the time being," he said.