VOA : BURMA / AUNG SAN SUU KYI -AMY

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Voice of America
DATE=7/29/98

BURMA / AUNG SAN SUU KYI   
AMY BICKERS (HONG KONG)



INTRO:  BURMA'S OPPOSITION LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAS SPENT 
SIX-DAYS ON A RURAL BURMESE HIGHWAY, WITH THE COUNTRY'S MILITARY 
LEADERS REFUSING TO ALLOW HER TO TRAVEL TO VISIT MEMBERS OF HER 
POLITICAL PARTY.  AS AMY BICKERS REPORTS FROM THE V-O-A ASIA NEWS
CENTER IN HONG KONG, HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES SEE THE STAND-OFF AS 
A SIGN OF THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT'S HARDENING STANCE AGAINST THE 
OPPOSITION .

TEXT:  THE CURRENT STAND-OFF BETWEEN NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR 
DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT IS 
THE THIRD SUCH EVENT IN A MONTH.  THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IS 
BLOCKING HER EFFORTS TO MEET WITH MEMBERS OF HER POLITICAL PARTY.
ACCORDING TO HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS IN THAILAND, SHE WANTS TO CHECK
ON THEIR HEALTH AND WELFARE. 

IN TWO SIMILAR INCIDENTS, WHEN AUNG SAN SUU KYI SET OUT TO MEET 
HER COLLEAGUES, SHE WAS ALSO STOPPED BY AUTHORITIES.  EVENTUALLY 
THE GOVERNMENT BROUGHT THE N-L-D OFFICIALS SHE SOUGHT TO MEET TO 
HER CAR, WHERE SHE WAS PERMITTED TO SPEAK WITH THEM. 

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES SAY THE BURMESE DEMOCRACY LEADER IS 
ANXIOUS TO VISIT PARTY COLLEAGUES WHO LIVE IN THE PROVINCES, 
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY TIGHTENED CONTROL OVER THE 
POLITICAL OPPOSITION.  MEMBERS OF HER PARTY MUST REPORT TO 
AUTHORITIES TWICE A DAY AND ARE PREVENTED FROM LEAVING THEIR 
LOCAL AREAS.  MANY OF THESE OPPOSITION FIGURES ARE ELECTED 
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, WHO HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TAKE OFFICE 
BECAUSE THE MILITARY RULERS NULLIFIED THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 
1990.

THE COORDINATOR OF THE THAILAND-BASED ALTERNATIVE ASEAN NETWORK 
ON BURMA, DEBRA STODDARD, SAYS THE GOVERNMENT FEARS N-L-D MEMBERS
WILL TRY TO CONVENE PARLIAMENT.

                      /// STODDARD ACT ///

         THE MILTARY REGIME HAS IMPOSED RESTRICTION ORDERS ON  
         ELECTED M-P'S BECAUSE THEY ARE IN A PANIC.  THEY ARE 
         VERY AFRAID THE N-L-D WILL CONVENE PARLIAMENT.  IN LATE 
         JUNE, THE N-L-D WROTE TO THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT SEEKING
         THAT PARLIAMENT BE CONVENED BY AUGUST 21ST.  IF THE 
         MILITARTY DOES NOT CONVENE PARLIAMENT, THE N-L-D, BY 
         VIRTUE OF HAVING WON 82-PERCENT OF THE SEATS IN 
         MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS, HAS ENOUGH NUMBERS TO CONVENE 
         PARLIAMENT ON ITS OWN.  

                         /// END ACT ///

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES SAY THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT IS HARDENING 
ITS STANCE TOWARD THE OPPOSITION.  THEY NOTE THE RULING JUNTA 
EARLIER THIS MONTH ISSUED ARREST ORDERS FOR 11 LEADING OPPOSITION
FIGURES AND IT IS PUBLICLY BLAMING WHAT IT CALLS -- INTERNAL 
SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS -- FOR LOW TOURIST NUMBERS.

/// OPT  /// ALTHOUGH IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE N-L-D CALL FOR 
PARLIAMENT TO BE CONVENED AND THE UPCOMING 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF A 
BLOODY MILITARY CRACKDOWN ARE BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT'S HARD LINE, 
MS. STODDARD SAYS BURMA'S WORSENING ECONOMIC CRISIS ALSO PLAYS A 
ROLE.

                    /// OPT STODDARD ACT ///

         THE MILITARY HAS LOST ACCESS TO ITS TRADITIONAL AREAS OF
         SUPPORT, NAMELY FROM FOREIGN INVESTMENTS WHICH HAVE 
         DRIED UP, EVEN FROM LOCAL BUSINESS AND FROM MILITARY 
         FAMILIES WHO FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN THEIR 
         LIFESTYLES BECAUSE OF THE DEVASTATION OF THE BURMESE 
         ECONOMY. 

                         /// END ACT ///

MS. STODDARD SAYS BURMA'S CURRENT GOVERNMENT BANKED ON LARGE 
AMOUNTS OF INVESTMENT FROM ITS NEIGHBORS, AFTER IT JOINED THE 
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS .  BUT WITH MOST OF THOSE 
NATIONS NOW WELL INTO RECESSION, THEY MONEY SIMPLY IS NOT THERE. 
/// END OPT /// 

FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECRETARY FOR THE THAILAND-BASED OPPOSITION GROUP
THE "ALL BURMA STUDENTS DEMOCRATIC FRONT", AUNG NAING OO, HOPES 
THE CURRENT STAND-OFF WILL PUT BURMA IN THE INTERNATIONAL 
SPOTLIGHT.

                         /// OO ACT ///

         WE HAVE TO PRESSURE THE BURMESE MLITARY JUNTA TO GO INTO
         DIALOGUE WITH THE OPPOSITION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF 
         THE OTHER NATIONALITIES.  WHAT AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS 
         TRYING TO DO IS DRAW ATTENTION WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE 
         COUNTRY. 

                         /// END ACT //

BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT SAYS ITS TREATMENT OF AUNG SAN SUU 
KYI AND HER OPPOSITION  PARTY IS AN INTERNAL AFFAIR.  IT ACCUSES 
THE OPPOSITION LEADER OF TRYING TO FOMENT UNREST AND OF STAGING A
PUBLICITY STUNT TO DRAW ATTENTION DURING THE ASSOCIATION OF 
SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS MEETING IN MANILA.

THE INCIDENT HAS DRAWN UNWANTED INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION TO THE 
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE IN BURMA -- AND AS EACH DAY OF THE STAND-OFF 
GOES BY, THE PRESSURE ON THE BURMESE MILITARY RULERS IS 
INCREASING.   (SIGNED)

NEB/AB/FC/RAE

29-Jul-98 8:49 AM EDT (1249 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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