East Asia Today : 10th anniversary

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East Asia Today
August 7th 1998 

10th anniversary atmosphere-

Military Take Their Positions in Preparation for 10th Anniversary-

For those left behind in Burma, the last decade has been one of economic
misery. Universities and schools have barely functioned and private incomes
have dwindled. Though the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San
Suu Kyi, won the election in 1990 overwhelmingly, today, people are too
frightened to speak out. Those who dare, talk of fear and intimidation by
the all pervasive military intelligence.

Meanwhile, latest reports from Rangoon, say there has been an increase in
military patrols, and the road leading to Aung San Suu Kyi's house has been
blockaded to bar diplomats and other visitors. For more on the atmosphere
in Burma, as the tenth anniversary approaches, East Asia Today presenter,
Christopher Gunness, spoke to Frank Van Den Linden, a Dutch journalist, who
returned from Rangoon on Thursday: 

Frank Van Den Linden: The situation got worse and worse since I arrived in
Rangoon three weeks ago. In the beginning you saw the normal street
picture, dominated by the red and pink of the monks. But the last few days,
especially, I saw only the blue, brown and green of the soldiers. It seemed
to be one big military place at that moment.

Christopher Gunness: Does that mean that the military have been able to
crush any prospect for commemorations, celebrations, for the tenth
anniversary?

Frank Van Den Linden: Yes. There isn't anybody I met who said that they had
a positive idea about demonstrations. They made a gesture - a machine gun
with their hands - and said, if we talk, they shoot.

Christopher Gunness: But what about the 21st August? That's the day that
Aung San Suu Kyi has said the parliament elected in 1990 should be convened
by then. Does that date ring true for Burmese people?

Frank Van Den Linden: Yes. In fact, that's the big date for them. They do
focus on the 8th because it brings back very bad memories. But politically
speaking, the 21st is far more interesting. They want the ultimatum to be
answered by the junta and if the junta doesn't answer in a positive way,
there'll be actions.

Christopher Gunness: You managed to make contact with Aung San Suu Kyi. How
is she and how did she cope with the confrontation on the highway outside
Rangoon a few weeks ago? And what is she planning for the 21st August?

Frank Van Den Linden: She has to recover physically, because as one person
told me who met her for about two and a half hours, she was on the verge of
death in that car. If she had been in it 24 to 48 hours more, she would
have died. Her plans for the 21st are first of all to ask to people to be
dressed in yellow - that's the colour of peace in Burma. After that she'd
like to get the parliament members of the NLD to come to Rangoon to get
together and have a sort of meeting that any official parliament would
have.

Christopher Gunness: You left just yesterday, what's your feeling about the
prospects of political change?

Frank Van Den Linden: I don't see any political change in Burma from the
inside. If there is going to be a change it will be created by the force of
outside political structures like the ASEAN or the United Nations. The
Burmese junta is a very rich junta. They could be boycotted for years and
years without giving up. There has to be real international pressure to
force them to create a democracy in this country. If there isn't such a
strong force, I guess they could go on for ages.