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Another Road block near ASSK's hous



Subject: Another Road block near ASSK's house

12Oct96 BURMA: BURMA SAYS BLOCK NEAR SUU KYI HOME PREVENTIVE STEP. 05:53 GMT 

By Aung Hla Tun
RANGOON, Oct 12 (Reuter) - Burma on Saturday blocked public access to
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's house to prevent her weekend public
gatherings from becoming a flashpoint for any disturbances, a government
official said.
No one had been detained by the ruling military State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC), the official told Reuters.
"The government as a preventive measure restricted traffic to the road. We
also do not want the situation (public gatherings) to be exploited by
anybody to disturb the peace and tranquility of the people," he said.
He could not say when the checkpoints would be removed but residents in the
area said they believed they may be removed on Monday.
Attempts to reach Suu Kyi by telephone for comment were unsuccessful as the
line appeared to be cut. The Nobel laureate had told reporters on Tuesday
after the barriers were removed that she was ready to resume her weekend
public meetings once access to University Avenue had been freed.
The official said the action to bar the way followed information Suu Kyi and
some senior officials of her National League for Democracy Party (NLD)
planned to meet at her house on Saturday morning to discuss re-staging a
party congress which was aborted late last month by a government crackdown.
An NLD member of parliament said all NLD MPs from Rangoon had been invited
to an informal meeting in Suu Kyi's house on Saturday morning.
However, he said that when he neared the house he found the road closed.
"We are not disappointed but we don't know what we'll decide to do next,"
said the MP, who asked not to be identified.
Police mounted checkpoints at University Avenue just after midnight and
turned away traffic from the road on which Suu Kyi's house is located, a
move that had been half-expected by many.
Witnesses said the checkpoints were manned by traffic police backed by armed
security police.
Access to Suu Kyi's house was first barred on September 26 to stop a planned
September 27-29 NLD congress. As well as barring the way to Suu Kyi's home,
the SLORC also cracked down at that time on NLD party activists to thwart
the congress and detained 573 NLD members and supporters.
After the congress was effectively scotched, the military removed the
barriers on Tuesday. All detainees were released in stages.
"I don't think this time it will be necessary to detain anyone," the
government official said when asked if anyone was being detained this time
in addition to setting up of checkpoints along University Avenue.
Suu Kyi's weekend public gatherings in the past have attracted several
thousands of people who have come to hear her attack the SLORC and demand
greater democracy in Burma from the gates of her lakeside home. But the
SLORC has said such meetings are illegal.
Eighteen NLD party flags remained draped around the fence of Suu Kyi's home.
They were first flown in late September ahead of the failed party congress.
The official Burmese media on Saturday quoted a senior SLORC official,
Lieutenant-General Tin Oo, as warning "some unscrupulous people" against
disturbing the peace.
"It is found that some unscrupulous people are covertly perpetrating acts to
undermine public security with intent to jeopardise the country's peace and
tranquility," the media quoted him as saying.
He warned that "security measures will be carried out and effective action
will be taken" to prevent any disturbance.
Burma's action against SuU Kyi and NLD supporters last month drew
condemnation from the United States, Britain and international human rights
groups.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
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