Ominous media blitz against Suu Kyi

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Subject: Ominous media blitz against Suu Kyi (fwd)


Foreign Journalists Booted
  	  				 
	RANGOON, Burma, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Burmese military authorities  
Wednesday accused opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters 
of trying to sabotage the country's economic development. 
	Western diplomats and other observers said they viewed the  
vilification campaign in the country's official media as an ominous 
prelude to possible further mob violence against Suu Kyi's National 
League for Democracy (NLD) or even an assassination attempt against her. 
	In another development viewed by some as ominous, virtually all  
foreign journalists in Burma were ordered to leave the country by 
Wednesday. 
	``There is a very tiny group of undesirable elements trying to  
disrupt our progress,'' said Finance and Revenue Minister Brig. Gen. Win 
Tin in a speech published Wednesday by the government-run New Light of 
Myanmar newspaper. ``It includes no other than Mrs. Aris and a handful 
of persons who are attempting to let Myanmar (Burma) be viewed from a 
negative outlook by the international community.'' 
	Burmese military leaders refer to Suu Kyi as Mrs. Aris and have  
attempted to disqualify her from engaging in local politics because she 
is married to British academic Michael Aris. 
	Speaking at a ceremony Tuesday night marking the opening of the  
Rangoon office of the Korea First Bank, Win Tin said that despite the 
NLD's disruptive influence, Burma had achieved a growth rate of 9.8 
percent in the 1995-96 fiscal year and foreign investment had reached $5 
billion. 
	Local analysts said they feared the official media's references to  
alleged plotters within Suu Kyi's inner circle could be laying the 
groundwork for an attempt on her life. 
	``These nasty attacks in the New Light of Myanmar and other  
propaganda is targeted at everybody, local public opinion and the 
foreign press,'' said one senior European diplomat. ``I think they want 
to impress her and show there is strong dissatisfaction with her.'' 
	``This is a new step and, of course, more dangerous,'' said the  
Rangoon-based diplomat. ``Tension is rising every day.''