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Slorc and 23 prominent politicians



The SLORC Threatens 23 Prominent Politicians for Writing a Letter
Urging Dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Discussions from the Meeting Between 23 Prominent Politicians Who
Signed the Proposed Paper for the National Reconciliation and the
Representatives of the SLORC


On 26/11/95, the representatives of the SLORC (State Law and
Order Restoration Council) - Lt. Colonel Tin Hlaing, deputy-
minister for the Home Affairs, Colonel Kyaw Win, deputy-director
for Burmese Military Intelligence Service, U Soe Win, chief-
director for People's Police Force, Colonel Ba Hein, in-charge of
Criminal Investigation Department - summoned and met with 23
prominent politicians and freedom fighters who signed a paper
on 24/11/95 calling for SLORC to open dialogue with the NLD
(National League for Democracy) led by Aung San Suu Kyi at the
earliest possible opportunity.

LT. COLONEL TIN HLAING, DEPUTY-MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS SAID,
"We are telling you what the SLORC leaders have ordered us to
tell you. We received your letter. We the State Law and Order
Restoration Council or the military government are going to tell
you the matters that are related to you.

"You attended the ceremony held to pay homage to the elders on
October 8. You also attended the National Day celebrations held
on 16/11/95.

"At this moment we are convening the national convention. At the
same time, discussions are being held for the unity of all
nationalities. You'll have to consider whether what we are doing
is meaningful or not. 

"Your demands are identical with those of the US, the Mr. Nosey.
People from the US embassy visit Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's house on
daily basis. Mrs. Albright also treated us harshly. It looks like
we'll have to work in accordance with the will of the Americans.
We do not want ourselves to become a stooge of the Americans. We
cannot do everything as they wish us to do.

We are working for the emergence of a constitution with a set of
guidelines. You can see what we are doing for the national cause.
Now 15 out of 16 armed groups have returned to the legal fold. We
are also striving for the remaining group so that they can do the
same. We hope and believe that in a very short time they will
return to the legal fold. We are working hard to achieve this
goal. 

We are carrying out the three main national causes and 12
objectives. We wish to know if there is anything (among these)
that you cannot accept.      

We cannot tolerate stooges meddling in between. The strength of
the nation can be found only in the nation. We cannot rely on the
foreign (countries). We'll be in trouble if we rely on the
foreign (countries). 

The US is setting out guidelines. We know that other embassies
are interfering in our affairs. 

We want all of you who have political traditions to remain
neutral. It wouldn't be any good if there were violent political
confusions. All of you are old. We would like you to live
peacefully. We are ready to take care of you on social and
humanitarian grounds. We believe that the NLD is using you. We
want you to stay out if political movements become more violent.
We want you to remain neutral.

People from the US, Britain and Australian Embassies visit Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi every day and give her instructions. Her husband
is also instigating the situation from abroad.

We do not wish you to get involved in this. We'll help you if you
need anything. Do you want to say anything on the existence and
duties that the Tatmadaw is carrying out?"

   
BOHMU AUNG SAID, "Let me tell you something. We are not stooges
of anyone. We never were. We work and say in accordance with
our own sincere beliefs and will. We want to see everyone united
before we die. Nobody forces us to do it. We do not want any
outside interference. We'll have to prevent it from happening
with a united force. We'll fight along side with the Tatmadaw if
there is a foreign invasion. There has been proof of this. We
are just doing what should be done for the restoration of peace,
and prosperity of the country because we want to see these things
happen before we pass away. 

We attended the ceremony held inside Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's house
because the students wanted to pay homage to us, believing that
there would be no problem. National Day celebrations were held as
a part of our tradition. These used to be held in my
premises. Now that there was no place available, we held it where
a place was available.

There is no outside interference or instigation in writing you
this letter. We do not accept any interference at all. We wrote
to you because we want to be friendly with you before anything
becomes tangled. We don't want to see the situation change for
the worse. You can use the letter if you wish. We'll wait and see
if you say so. We'll take oath that we wrote the letter with
utmost sincerity. We consulted (among us) and wrote it because we
(you and us) should not hold grudges against each
other. We just made this request of you because we believe that
we still have a duty to the country. We don't like bloodshed. We
are ready to lay down our lives along with the Tatmadaw should
danger befall the country."

LT. COLONEL TIN HLAING SAID, "What you are doing is identical
with what the US has said. We are working for the country as
well. Is there anything wrong with our work? It appears that
there is foreign interference. It also appears that the NLD has
dragged you along."

BOHMU AUNG SAID, "We want to see our people happy and peaceful
with plenty of food and materials before we die."

LT. COLONEL TIN HLAING, "Is there anything that you don't like
among the tasks the Tatmadaw is carrying out? The Tatmadaw really
wants peace. We are performing the tasks which no other
government have ever been able to do. Why did you have to write
this letter?"

BOHMU AUNG, "It comes from our heart. There is nothing that we
can do if this is similar to other people's opinions." 

LT. COLONEL TIN HLAING, "If we don't do anything, people will
blame us, and when we are doing something, we are concerned that
someone will meddle with our work. We summoned you to explain
this so that you can see and understand what we are doing. We are
telling you this so that you can stay out of trouble when the
situation becomes chaotic."

M.I COLONEL KYAW WIN SAID, "The Senior General and group read the
letter the day it was received. Like we said earlier, it doesn't
do any good for the country when you are used for this. And we
believed so, that is why we are trying to explain this to you. We
believe that what is contained in the letter is nothing but your
opinions. We'll report to our leaders that you did it with
sincere goodwill. We learned the spirit of imperialism from the
books. Mrs. Albright treated us very rudely. We cannot tolerate
this. What she said is related to your request letter. We'll
report back that you wrote the letter without any foreign
influence and with a sincere desire to have everyone united. Our
leaders have ordered us to treat you with respect. We can talk
again if there is a confusion."

BOHMU AUNG SAID, "If there is dead meat, the flies will swarm
around it. We wrote the letter because we don't want this to
happen. We neither want a dead meat nor flies. The opinions are
of the same identical nature, but I assure that we have nothing
to do with it. We have nothing but goodwill. I can take oath for
that."

LT. COLONEL TIN HLAING SAID, "We want you to know our stance."

BOHMU AUNG SAID, "I fought against the imperialists and their
oppression. We had to remain under the British until we lost the
hair knot that was our tradition (meaning for along time). Only
because we weren't killed in the struggle, we can talk to you
now. I used to live near the Mandalay, but because my grandma
told me not to go near that Kular Town, I did not even know what
it looked like. (Kular is a derogatory word for Indians and
British. Kular town here means Mandalay palace). I sacrificed
everything and I will not hesitate to sacrifice again.

(Translated from the document acquired from inside Burma.
Research Department, ABSDF-MTZ).

END END