Democracy activists gather in capit

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South China Morning Post
Thursday  September 25  1997

Democracy activists gather in capital for party summit 
ASSOCIATED PRESS in Rangoon 
Despite fears of a possible government crackdown, more than 100 members of 
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party had reached Rangoon last 
night for a weekend meeting.
Dozens of National League for Democracy members, some wearing their trademark 
peach-coloured Burmese jackets and black and green sarongs, gathered in tea 
shops near the party's headquarters in Shwegondaing Road.
Many, however, eschewed the party uniform so as not to attract too much 
attention from the authorities. There were no signs of tension between the 
party members and local police.
Previous attempts by Ms Aung San Suu Kyi to hold League congresses have led to 
mass arrests of party members by the military Government.
Party officials said more than 800 were detained a year ago, and 262 were 
arrested in May 1996.
The Government said it stopped the meetings because Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and 
her party intended to set up a parallel government.
The League won 82 per cent of seats in Parliament in a 1990 election the 
military refused to honour.
An aide to Ms Aung San Suu Kyi said party members had come from Mandalay 
Division and Shan State in northern Burma and the Tenasserim Division at the 
country's southern tip.
Local officials had forced some party members in Irrawaddy and Pegu divisions 
in central Burma to sign papers promising not to go to Rangoon, and these 
members had stayed home, the aide said.
Meanwhile, the Government sought to capitalise on League officials' refusal to 
let party chairman Aung Shwe meet intelligence chief and First Secretary, 
Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, last week.
The League objected because General Khin Nyunt refused to include Ms Aung San 
Suu Kyi in the meeting. The party said the general was trying to split its 
leadership.
The regime has sent press releases to the United Nations and news agencies 
playing up its attempt at dialogue with the the democracy activists.