Aung San Suu Kyi

* It is hypocritical for President Clinton to call Aung San Suu Kyi’s continued detention “cause for outrage in the international community” (editorial, July 22).

While Suu Kyi’s continued detention is deplorable, the government of the U.S. has no business criticizing the human rights records of other nations. The U.S. continues to use the death penalty, including the execution of juvenile offenders, and the policy of forcible return of refugees to nations such as Haiti and China, where their lives may be endangered. Both of these policies are blatant violations of a number of human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and are an affront to common decency.

Let human rights begin at home, Mr. President. Then we will be in a better position to criticize the records of other nations.

LYNN LOSCHIN

Huntington Beach

* We thank you for the usage of Burma instead of Myanmar in your editorial. The date of arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi is July 20, 1989; she has been under house arrest for four years.

We thank you for your point that “the United Nations should no longer recognize the military regime as the holder of the U.N. seat.” Our Burmese group has been demanding this since the election of May, 1990, when the people of Burma voted the military regime out.

FRANK THAUNG OO

Chairman, Human Rights

and Democracy in Burma

Los Angeles