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BURMA/DAY 2




DATE=5/28/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-214905
TITLE=BURMA/DAY TWO  (L ONLY)  
BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER 
DATELINE=BANGKOK 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:     

INTRO:  THE RULING MILITARY JUNTA IN BURMA USED BARRICADES AND 
RIOT POLICE AGAIN TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO LIMIT ATTENDANCE AT THE 
SECOND DAY OF A TWO-DAY CONGRESS OF THE OPPOSITION NATIONAL 
LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY PARTY.  DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM OUR 
SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK ON THE TENSE STANDOFF IN 
RANGOON.

TEXT:  ON WEDNESDAY -- AS ON TUESDAY -- MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL 
LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY'S CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WERE ALLOWED 
INTO THE LAKESIDE COMPOUND OF PARTY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI, IN A
RANGOON UNIVERSITY DISTRICT.  OTHER PARTY ACTIVISTS, DIPLOMATS 
AND JOURNALISTS WERE AGAIN TURNED AWAY. 

IN A STATEMENT WEDNESDAY, THE OPPOSITION PARTY SAID THE RULING 
STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL'S ACTIONS WERE CONTRARY 
TO ITS PROMISE TO ESTABLISH DEMOCRACY IN BURMA. 

THE STATEMENT ADDED THAT IN ADDITION TO PREVENTING HUNDREDS OF 
DELEGATES FROM ATTENDING THE PARTY CONGRESS, THE AUTHORITIES ALSO
DETAINED RELATIVES OF PARTY DELEGATES WHEN THE DELEGATES WERE  
NOT  FOUND IN THEIR HOMES.

THIS WEEK'S PARTY CONGRESS WAS MEANT TO SET POLICY AND ALSO TO 
CELEBRATE TUESDAY'S SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF A NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR 
DEMOCRACY ELECTION VICTORY.

ON MAY 27TH, 1990, THE PARTY WON MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE 
SEATS FOR A PROPOSED PARLIAMENT IN AN ELECTION SANCTIONED BY THE 
MILITARY.  WITH ITS CANDIDATES ROUTED, THE JUNTA CANCELLED THE 
RESULTS AND THE PARLIAMENT NEVER MET. 

THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY CRITICIZED BURMA'S DETENTION 
OF OPPOSITION PARTY MEMBERS.  ON WEDNESDAY, JAPAN'S PRIME 
MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO SAID HE HOPED BURMA'S EXPECTED 
ADMISSION TO THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS -- ASEAN
-- WOULD  NOT  MEAN THE MILITARY-LED GOVERNMENT WOULD BE SPARED 
CRITICISM IN THE FUTURE.

BURMA, CAMBODIA AND LAOS ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR MEMBERSHIP IN 
ASEAN, WHICH CURRENTLY GROUPS BRUNEI, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THE 
PHILIPPINES, SINGAPORE, THAILAND AND VIETNAM.  (SIGNED) 

NEB/DB/MMK

28-May-97 6:11 AM EDT (1011 UTC)