NEWS - Chronology of Events since S

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Chronology of Events since Suu Kyi's Release in Myanmar
Reuters
       06-AUG-98

YANGON, Aug 6 (Reuters)- The followinge is a chronology of key events in
Yangon since National League for Democracy (NLD) party leader, Nobel
Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was released from house arrest in July
1995. 
The NLD has set August 21 as the deadline for the government to convene
a parliament of members elected at polls in May 1990, the results of
which were ignored by the military. Diplomats say the opposition is
likely to mark Saturday's 10th anniversary of a bloody crackdown by the
government against pro-democracy protesters to draw attention to its
demands. 
July 10, 1995- Government releases Suu Kyi after six years of house
arrest. 
July 11, 1995- Suu Kyi says dedicated to restoration of democracy in
Myanmar calls for dialogue on political reform with ruling State Law and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC). She urges foreigners not to invest in
Myanmar until democracy is restored. 
Nov 28, 1995- Suu Kyi withdraws NLD from National Convention which is
drafting guidelines for a new constitution, saying the exercise does not
represent the will of the people. 
May 20, 1996- SLORC arrests NLD members planning to attend a party
congress at Suu Kyi's house coinciding with the sixth anniversary of May
27, 1990 election victory. 
May 26, 1996- NLD three-day party congress begins despite arrests of at
least 258 NLD members who had planned to attend. SLORC says it only
detained the NLD members to prevent anarchy. 
May 28, 1996- Party meeting ends with NLD passing series of resolutions
including controversial one giving NLD leadership power to draft version
of a constitution. 
May 28, 1996- Government begins mass rallies condemning Suu Kyi and the
NLD as destructive elements aimed at destabilising the country. 
June 7, 1996- SLORC passes new law effectively muzzling NLD from saying
or doing anything contrary to planned constitution. Law says violators
face up to 20 years in prison. 
June 22, 1996- James Leander Nichols, honorary consul to several
European nations and close friend of Suu Kyi, dies in Yangon jail. He
had been arrested for operating telephones and fax machines without
permission. 
July 3, 1996- Bomb explodes at the base of a propaganda billboard
opposite U.S. embassy in Yangon, no one injured. 
Sept 27, 1996- Heavily armed riot police man checkpoints barring access
to road leading to Suu Kyi's house to prevent NLD congress from taking
place. 
Oct 1, 1996- SLORC officials say temporarily detained 559 activists
since Sept 27, and will keep roadblocks in place to prevent unrest.  Suu
Kyi says up to 800 were arrested. 
Nov 9, 1996- Club-wielding, stone-throwing crowd attacks Suu Kyi's car
and others in a motorcade as Suu Kyi heads to meet supporters standing
outside barricades. Suu Kyi accuses SLORC of orchestrating attack, SLORC
says investigating incident. 
Dec 2/3, 1996- Street protests by students against police brutality and
demanding political freedom and rights. Police briefly arrest about 600
protestors. 
Dec 4, 1996- SLORC restricts Suu Kyi's movements, requiring her to
obtain approval before she can leave her house. 
Dec 7, 1996- Soldiers and riot police round up 263 students and
sympathisers after using water cannons and batons to end 11-hour street
protest early in the morning. 
Dec 26, 1996- Two time bombs explode at Buddhist site on outskirts of
Yangon, killing five and wounding 17. SLORC blames exiles and Karen
rebels for blasts. They deny accusations. 
Dec 31, 1996- Myanmar says arrests 34 members of the Burma Communist
Party and 13 NLD members for involvement in unrest. 
Jan 4, 1997- Suu Kyi holds celebration for Myanmar's 49th anniversary of
independence at her house-first major public gathering allowed since NLD
congress in May. SLORC allows invited guests to pass through barricades.
Suu Kyi holds news conference and vows to step up efforts to bring
democracy to Myanmar. 
Jan 6, 1997- Myanmar's top universities and colleges remained closed on
date all were scheduled to reopen following December holidays.
Government says universitites will stay closed until situation
normalises. 
Jan 18, 1997- Myanmar's government sentences 20 people to seven years in
prison each for their involvement in December street demonstrations. The
20 included six NLD members. 
May 20, 1997- The United States imposes economic sanctions on Myanmar,
banning all new U.S. investment as a public condemnation of the military
regime's human rights abuses. 
May 31, 1997- ASEAN foreign ministers agree to admit Cambodia, Laos and
Myanmar into the regional grouping in July. 
July 23, 1997- Myanmar becomes a full member of the Association of South
East Asian Nations (ASEAN). 
Aug 20, 1997- Myanmar reopens 38,800 schools but keeps closed some 30
universities and colleges. 
Oct 16, 1997- A private U.S. delegation, led by former U.S.  ambassador
to Japan and the Philippines Michael Armacost, meets senior officials of
Myanmar's military government in a bid to persuade them to open a
dialogue with Suu Kyi. 
Nov 15, 1997- Myanmar's ruling military government changes its name to
the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The 19-member SPDC is
made up of four former top SLORC leaders including its chairman Than
Shwe and Secretary One and intelligence chief Khin Nyunt. 
Dec 10, 1997- Myanmar's military says it has sentenced seven NLD
members, including two elected members of parliament, to long prison
terms in connection with organisational trips planned by Suu Kyi to NLD
offices in townships on Yangon's outskirts. 
Dec 20, 1997- SPDC announces a cabinet reshuffle that changes eight
portfolios including several key financial jobs. 
March 30, 1998- Suu Kyi sharply criticises Britain's Premier Oil Co for
helping to prop up Myanmar's military rulers by developing offshore gas
reserves. 
May 28, 1998- Suu Kyi and NLD demand that the military convene
parliament by August 2 in accordance with the results of the 1990
election. The government ignores the call. 
July 24, 1998- Suu Kyi begins a six-day car sit-in protest at a bridge
in a Yangon suburban village after she is blocked from travelling to
meet NLD party members. 
July 29, 1998- Suu Kyi ends the car sit-in protest in the outskirts of
Yangon. NLD says government security personel force her to return to her
lakeside home in central Yangon. 
Suu Kyi vows to continue the protest after recuperating from her ordeal.