U.S. Special Envoy to Asia on Burma

[freeburma@xxxxxxx]

Subject: U.S. Special Envoy to Asia on Burma and Press Briefing of State Dept.

Attn: Burma and Burmese activists
Re: Press Briefing by U.S. DOS on June 7, 1996

NOTE:  The following is just about Burma from the Daily Press Briefing of 
U.S. Department of State, which also includes about other countries. We 
have seen actions of the United States government on Burma as well 
as their support of Burma leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD party. 
As the current situation in Burma is very critical, we all need to be 
wakeful of everyday situation inside Burma; also our Free Burma movements 
are to continue AND to come into being on every corner of streets in 
everywhere else. 

In peace and solidarity,

      S T A N D   U P   F O R   F R E E   B U R M A !
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                 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
                    DAILY PRESS BRIEFING 
 
                                              DPB #91 
 
              FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1996, 12:42 P. M. 
           (ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED) 
 

       Q     Do you have anything on Burma? 
 
       MR. BURNS:  I do have something on Burma, yes. 
 
       Q     (Inaudible) threats -- 
 
       MR. BURNS:  That's right.  Ron, we've seen the 
statements by the military dictators in Rangoon that they 
intend to forbid Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Prize winner, 
from giving her normal Saturday address to the supporters of 
the National League for Democracy. 
 
       I would just note that the United States Government 
calls once again upon the Government of Burma to cease and 
desist in its pressure tactics against the Democrats in 
Burma. 
 
       Aung San Suu Kyi has a right, under international law 
and under any reasonable standard of decency, to speak out 
about conditions in her own country.  She also has a right 
to expect that her compatriots, who were arrested over the 
last two weeks, should be released from government detention. 
 
       By the count of the American Embassy in Rangoon, 150 of 
the 260 people who were originally detained have been 
confirmed released.  That leaves a considerable number of 
people -- well over 100 -- who have not been released, who 
remain under government detention.  Why?  Because they 
wanted to express themselves in support of democracy. 

       So we strongly support the rights of the National 
League of Democracy.  We strongly support Aung San Suu Kyi. 
 
       We would like now to try to work with some of our 
allied and friendly governments in Asia to try to find a way 
to convince the Government of Burma to stop its pressure 
tactics. 
 
       The Japanese Government has made some very positive and 
forceful comments in public, including some by the Japanese 
Foreign Minister.  We would like to see similar comments and 
similar action from some of the other governments in the 
region. 
 
       As you know, we have identified that individual who 
will serve as an American envoy -- a special American envoy 
-- on the Burmese crisis.  I believe there will be an 
announcement forthcoming, if not today, I'm sure early next 
week, about the identity of that person; and he will be 
dispatched to the region to try to see what the United 
States can do to work with these other countries in the 
region to increase pressure on the Burmese Government to act 
in a civilized manner. 
 
       Q     This envoy will go next week, is what you're 
saying or just -- 
 
       MR. BURNS:  I don't have the dates of his departure, 
but I can tell you the individual, who's a prominent 
individual, has been identified.  He's agreed to take up 
this assignment, and I think it's probably the best course 
of action right now. 
 
       The Burmese Government appears to be impervious to the 
feelings and sentiments of its own people.  Perhaps it will 
respond more effectively if some of its trading partners in 
the area and fellow Asian countries can be organized in such 
a way to try to put more pressure on the Burmese Government. 

-------- end.