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VOA : BURMA / STAND-OFF -RON CORBEN
Voice of America
DATE=7/30/98
BURMA / STAND-OFF
RON CORBEN(BANGKOK)
INTRO: BURMESE AUTHORITIES MILITARY THURSDAY ENDED A SIX-DAY
STANDOFF WITH OPPOSITION LEADER, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, FORCING HER TO
RETURN TO HER RESIDENCE IN RANGOON. RON CORBEN REPORTS FROM
BANGKOK THAT DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAS ANGERED
BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT'S MOVES
TEXT: THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN BURMA HAS BEEN TRYING TO JUSTIFY
TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ITS DECISION TO FORCE OPPOSITION
LEADER, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, TO RETURN TO RANGOON LATE WEDNESDAY.
THE MILITARY HAS TOLD DIPLOMATS THAT THE OPPOSITION LEADER'S
TRIP OUTSIDE RANGOON HAD BEEN HALTED TO AVERT POSSIBLE
DISTURBANCES.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S VEHICLE HAD BEEN STOPPED ABOUT 40 KILOMETERS
FROM RANGOON LAST FRIDAY WHEN SHE HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO MEET
WITH NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY PARTY MEMBERS.
THE ENSUING STAND-OFF HAD GENERATED WIDESPREAD INTERNATIONAL
ATTENTION COMING AMID THE REGIONAL ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEETING IN MANILA WHERE COUNTRIES PRESSED THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT
TO GRANT AUNG SAN SUU KYI FREEDOM OF ACCESS.
BUT IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT TWO BURMESE POLICEWOMEN TOOK CHARGE OF
AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S PARKED VEHICLE AND DROVE THE N-L-D LEADER BACK
TO HER RESIDENCE IN RANGOON.
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, CURRENTLY IN SYDNEY
AUSTRALIA, SAID THE ACTION BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN AN
UNACCEPTABLE VIOLATION OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S HUMAN RIGHTS.
MS. ALBRIGHT SAID THAT THE N-L-D LEADER HAD NOT WANTED TO RETURN
AND THERE WAS NO DEAL OR NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT.
DIPLOMATIC SOURCES IN RANGOON SAID ALTHOUGH AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAD
BEEN ANGRY AND UPSET BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT'S MOVES, THERE
HAD BEEN NO VIOLENCE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COMMANDEERED.
BURMA'S GOVERNMENT HAS ACCUSED THE N-L-D LEADER OF TRYING TO
FOMENT DISSENT AHEAD OF THE PLANNED RE-OPENING IN AUGUST OF
UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS CLOSED IN DECEMBER 1996 .
(SIGNED)
NEB/ RC/GC/FC
30-Jul-98 6:03 AM EDT (1003 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.