Union Day in Different Massage

[RANGOONP@xxxxxxx]

Myanmar junta, opposition hold separate rallies

YANGON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Myanmar's (Burma) ruling military junta and the
main opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday held separate
rallies to mark Union Day and expressed divergent political views. 

Union Day marks the signing of the ``Panglong Agreement'' on February 12,
1947, which paved the way for Myanmar's independence from over 100 years of
British colonial rule on January 4, 1948. 

Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, charged the
ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) with abusing human rights
and said it was the government's duty to guarantee and protect people's
rights. 

But Prime Minister and SPDC Chairman Senior General Than Shwe concentrated on
development and sought cooperation between the military, the government and
the various ethnic races of Myanmar to achieve the objective. 

Over 500 opposition activists attended the opposition rally held at Suu Kyi's
lakeside residence. The rally was not interrupted by the military, which
checked those entering the venue. 

The government rally at Peoples Square in the capital saw about 15,000
participants, mainly from government agencies. 

``The cause of the Union, the cause of the national races, and the cause of
democracy and human rights are inseparable,'' Suu Kyi told her supporters. 

``Human rights are not to be laid down by the government. But are things to be
guaranteed and protected by the government,'' she said, urging the Myanmar
people to work collectively for the emergence of a genuine democratic state. 

The NLD again issued a declaration saying that political, economic and social
problems in Myanmar could only be resolved if the two sides held talks. 

The NLD and the military are at political odds over attempts by the junta to
curb the party's and Suu Kyi's political activities and its intimidation of
opposition activists by detaining them at will and releasing them later. 

Suu Kyi's NLD won a landslide victory in a 1990 election but the military,
which has ruled with an iron fist since 1988, has ignored the result and
refused to hand over power. 

The SPDC has offered to hold talks with the NLD, but refused to include Suu
Kyi in any dialogue. The NLD has rejected such an offer. 

In his message, Than Shwe urged the people to safeguard Myanmar's sovereignty
and independence. 

``The three nation-building forces, namely the national peoples, the armed
forces and the government, join hands in implementing in earnest the basic
objectives laid down by the government to bring about marked and rapid
development in political, economic and social spheres,'' said Than Shwe in his
speech. 

He said the formulation of a new national constitution was essential for
Myanmar's nation-building in future. 

A National Convention of government-appointed representatives is working on
the drafting of a new constitution but the body has not convened for about two
years. ^REUTERS@