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BBC : Suu Kyi protest ended



Thursday, July 30, 1998 Published at 04:55 GMT 05:55 UK 

World: Asia-Pacific

Suu Kyi protest ended 

The Burmese pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been taken home by
the military authorities after spending six days in her car at a roadblock
outside Rangoon. 

She had been protesting about what she said was the government's refusal to
allow her to visit her supporters. 



The authorities said they had intervened to end her protest because of
concerns about her health. 



The government accused her of a publicity stuntThey also said Aung San Suu
Kyi had ignored gentle persuasion. 



Earlier, the authorities had dismissed her protest as a publicity stunt. 



The American Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, said the way the
protest had been ended was an unacceptable violation of Aung San Suu Kyi's
human rights. 



She had earlier called on the Burmese authorities to open talks with the
opposition. 



Visit denied 



Despite international concern about her health, the Burmese authorities had
earlier rejected requests from foreign diplomats to visit her. 



The Burmese Foreign Minister, Onh Gyaw, said he did not feel that a meeting
was needed at the moment. 



Her welfare was a major talking point at the Asean meeting in the capital
of the Philippines, Manila. 




Madeleine Albright called for talksForeign governments said they held the
Burmese military responsible for Ms Suu Kyi's wellbeing. 



Ms Suu Kyi, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, was stopped at the
checkpoint on Friday as she was going to meet political supporters. 



Although the Burmese military authorities say there is no formal
restriction on Aung San Suu Kyi, it was the third time she had been stopped
while trying to visit party workers outside Rangoon. 



Tension has risen between the military and the NLD since Ms Suu Kyi called
for a meeting of a parliament in August consisting of candidates elected in
the May 1990 elections. 



The NLD won the elections but the military ignored the results and has
refused to convene parliament.