Suu Kyi will not accept government

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Subject: Suu Kyi will not accept government restrictions

Suu Kyi will not accept government restorations
Rangoon, Dec. 15: Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has 
indicated that she will not accept restrictions on her 
movements as she spent ninth consecutive day on Sunday 
inside her Rangoon residence, following the most defiant 
civilian protests here since 1988.
With security still tight around the city following the 
demonstrations, her National League for Democracy fired 
back against official claims the the Nobel Peace Prize 
laureate  had failed to cooperate with authorities in 
measures designed to insure her own safety.
" A serious request should not take on the nature of a 
restrictive order nor should it entail the placement of 
physical barriers ," said a statement signed by the NLD 
central executive committee .
Her residence on Rangoon's University Avenue has been 
blockaded since the demonstrations for students' right began 
on the city's streets two weeks ago. The NLD leader has not 
left has house since last Friday.
In response to a government statement circulated to 
embassies on Rangoon earlier in the week, the Opposition 
leader, who was confined by the ruling junta to her own 
home for six years until her release last July, denied she had 
said her current confinement constituted house arrest.
" At no time did she claim that she had been put under 
house restriction, however she pointed out that restrictions 
placed on her movement amount to unlawful restraint," said 
the statement.
The statement further rebutted accusations from the ruling 
State Law and Order Restoration Council that the NLD was 
connected to the students unrest. High-ranking junta 
officials have compared the recent demonstration to the 
civilian pro-democracy demonstrations of 1988 which were 
crushed by the military. "The NLD supports all calls for 
justice and human rights and we sympathise with the 
grievances of the students but we strongly protest against 
unsubstantiated accusation," said the statement.
In the past two weeks, students have demonstrated in the 
city's streets for the release of student prisoners and right to 
set up the union.
While they have made no mention of Aung San Suu Kyi, 
protesters have carried a portrait of her father, the Burmese 
independence hero Aung San, and chanted pro-democracy 
slogans.
Rangoon was quiet Sunday although there were still a high 
security presence and restrictions on access to the Yangon 
(Rangoon) Institute of Technology in the north of city and 
at the Institute of Medicine downtown.
Armed troops have been patrolling the city at nighttime and 
five tanks that were driven into the city Friday were still 
parked in front of city hall, with combatready soldiers. 
Burmese observers said that the tanks were intended as 
show of force to deter students still staying in the city. Most 
students have been sent home, After their classes were 
suspended at the start if the week.
Students staged a daring march through the city two weeks 
ago and up to 1,000 protesters gathered for a sit-down 
protest by the main university campus last Friday night, 
which was violently broken up by riot police and troops. 
This was followed by a wave a smallers students 
demonstrations, which now appear to have subsided, as 
authorities have sought to isolate campuses and prevent 
protesters from regrouping.(AFP)