Suu Kyi refuses to give up democrac

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Subject: Suu Kyi refuses to give up democracy fight.


		
		Suu Kyi refuses to give up democracy fight
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	The Burmese opposition leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, has vowed not 
to give up her struggle for democracy, saying Burma's people are "fed up" 
with repression by the country's military junta, the State Law and Order 
Restoration Council.

	Defying Burmese Government attempts to gag her, Ms Suu Kyi 
slipped by police barricades barring access to her home and told 
reporters in her first public comments since last week's crackdown that 
up to 800 democracy activists had been arrested.

	Her estimate was sharply higher than that of the SLORC, which 
said 559 of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party members and 
supporters had been arrested since last Thursday.

	The military Government said on official television late on 
Wednesday it had released a total of 163 of those detained ahead of an 
NLD congress planned for September 27-29.

	Ms Suu Kyi, who joined in on an elaborate plan to meet about a 
dozen reporters at a house just outside the police barricades blocking 
access to her University Avenue home, said she was not downhearted about 
the latest action taken by the SLORC.

	The SLORC has ordered arrests and barred people from travelling 
on University Avenue since early last Friday to prevent the party meeting 
from taking place. It said the detentions were only temporary and claimed 
the NLD was trying to create instability and incite riots with its gathering.

	Ms Suu Kyi said the latest crackdown was not a surprise to the 
party and said it would help boost the NLD's legitimacy.

	"What has happened over the last week has been a great help to 
us," a relaxed-looking Ms Suu Kyi said.

	"People are fed up with this kind of stupid behaviour and the 
international community agrees now the SLORC is getting worse, not better."

	Ms Suu Kyi, who said she was housing 31 people in her compound 
including eight NLD representatives who came to Rangoon to attend the 
congress, vowed to hold another party congress without seeking permission 
from the SLORC.

Meanwhile, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) admitted 
yesterday that it is divided over Burma after the latest military 
crackdown on the opposition but said there would be no immediate change 
in the grouping's "constructive engagement policy".

	Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Mr Adbullha Badawi, speaking as the 
new chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee, said The Phillipines had 
raised the possibility of seeking a review of the "comstructive 
engagement" policy at the NOvember 30 ASEAN summit in Jakata.

	"There has to be a consensus. We don't go by majority rule," Mr 
Badawi told a news conference after opening the committee's first meeting 
in Kuala Lumpur to prepare for Malaysia's 1997 ASEAN chairmanship.

	Mr Badawin said ASEAN members had expressed concern over the 
latest developments in Burma.

	"We view with some concern on what is happening in Burma. But it 
is a little bit too early to speculate," Mr Badawi said, commenting on 
calls on ASEAN to proceed cautiously before admitting the military regime.

	Earlier this week, it was reported that ASEAN foreign ministers 
meeting at the United Nations had decided to delay Burma's admission to 
the grouping. But Malaysia has said it still plans to admit Burma as a 
full member when it hosts the ASEAN ministerial meeting in July next year.

[By correspondents in Rangoon and Kuala Lumpur, AP,Reuters, AFP, 
4 October 1996].

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