Latest News On 2 Burmese patriots'

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=4/29/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-230431

TITLE=BURMA / SENTENCES (L ONLY)

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  TWO BURMESE POLITICAL ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO 

DEATH.  A BURMESE EXILE GROUP SAYS THE CONDEMNED WERE ENGAGING 

ONLY IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY, BUT THE RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT 

SAYS THEY WERE PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE HIGH-RANKING MEMBERS OF 

THE GOVERNMENT.  CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR 

SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.


TEXT:  IN A STATEMENT ISSUED IN BANGKOK, THE "ALL-BURMA STUDENTS'

DEMOCRATIC FRONT" SAYS THE RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN 

TWO STUDENT ACTIVISTS THE DEATH PENALTY.


THE GROUP, AN ORGANIZATION OF BURMESE EXILES, SAYS KO THEIN, ALSO

KNOWN AS THEIN HUN, AND KHIN HLAING WERE SENTENCED BY A SPECIAL 

COURT NEAR RANGOON'S INSEIN PRISON EARLY THIS MONTH. 


ACCORDING TO THE FRONT, THE PENALTY IS USUALLY CARRIED OUT BY 

HANGING.


THE GROUP SAYS THE COURT ALSO SENTENCED 38 OTHER PEOPLE TO PRISON

TERMS RANGING FROM THREE TO 14-YEARS.  IT SAYS THE TRIALS WERE 

HELD IN SECRET WITH NO LEGAL REPRESENTATION ALLOWED.


THE GROUP SAYS ALL 40 ARE STUDENT ACTIVISTS WHO WERE ARRESTED IN 

JANUARY FOR PEACEFUL POLITICAL ACTIVITY.  THE FRONT SAYS THREE OF

THEM WERE ARRESTED FOR TRYING TO CONTACT U-N SPECIAL ENVOY ON 

HUMAN RIGHTS ALVARO DE SOTO DURING HIS VISIT TO BURMA.


MR. DE SOTO WAS DISPATCHED TO BURMA BY U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI

ANNAN EARLY THIS YEAR TO ASSESS THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION AND TO

TRY TO PROMOTE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE COUNTRY'S RULING GENERALS 

AND THE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT.


GOVERNMENT COMMENT ON THE STATEMENTS BY THE ALL-BURMA STUDENTS' 

DEMOCRATIC FRONT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.  BUT BURMA'S 

GOVERNMENT HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID THOSE ARRESTED WERE PART OF A PLOT

TO ASSASSINATE MEMBERS OF THE RULING STATE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT 

COUNCIL.


THE ALL-BURMA STUDENTS' DEMOCRATIC FRONT WAS FOUNDED BY STUDENTS 

WHO FLED THE 1988 CRACKDOWN IN WHICH THOUSANDS OF PRO-DEMOCRACY 

DEMONSTRATORS WERE KILLED OR ARRESTED.  THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT 

HAS LABELED THE GROUP A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AND ACCUSED IT OF 

WORKING FOR THE VIOLENT OVERTHROW OF THE GOVERNMENT.


THE GROUP DENIES THE GOVERNMENT'S ACCUSATIONS AND SAYS IT ONLY 

ENGAGES IN NON-VIOLENT POLITICAL ACTIVITY.   (SIGNED)


NEB/GPT/RAE


29-Apr-98 7:46 AM EDT (1146 UTC)

NNNN


Source: Voice of America

 .