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VOA : BURMA-DETAIN
Voice of America
DATE=8/10/98
BURMA-DETAIN
GARY THOMAS
BANGKOk
INTRO: BURMESE AUTHORITIES SAY 18 FOREIGNERS DETAINED FOR
DISTRIBUTING PRO-DEMOCRACY LEAFLETS WILL BE TRIED FOR CHARGES OF
CREATING UNREST. CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR
SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT: A SPOKESMAN FOR BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT SAYS THE 18
POLITICAL ACTIVISTS DETAINED SUNDAY BROKE AT LEAST TWO LAWS WHEN
THEY DISTRIBUTED DEMOCRACY LEAFLETS IN RANGOON.
THE 18 MEN AND WOMEN WERE PICKED UP AFTER HANDING OUT SMALL RED
LEAFLETS VOICING SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS, AND
URGING PEOPLE NOT TO FORGET THE EVENTS OF 1988 WHEN THE MILITARY
GOVERNMENT CRUSHED A PRO-DEMOCRACY UPRISING. THE GROUP IS
COMPRISED OF POLITICAL ACTIVISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES, THE
PHILIPPINES, MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, THAILAND, AND AUSTRALIA.
THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THEY ARE BEING HELD AT TWO
LOCATIONS IN RANGOON, BUT DIPLOMATS SAID THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE
TO VISIT THEM. RANKING SOURCES IN THE CAPITAL SAY THE SENIOR U-S
DIPLOMAT IN RANGOON, CHARGE' D'AFFAIRES KENT WEIDEMANN, MADE
REPRESENTATIONS TO THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT AT WHAT THEY ONLY
DESCRIBE AS --THE HIGHEST LEVEL -- PRESUMED TO MEAN SENIOR
GENERAL THAN SHWE, TO EXPRESS CONCERN AND REQUEST ACCESS BY
CONSULAR OFFICIALS.
ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT ORGANIZED THE ACTION, THE ALTERNATIVE
ASEAN NETWORK ON BURMA, CALLED FOR THE GROUP'S IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
NETWORK COORDINATOR DEBBIE STOTHARD SAID THE LEAFLET WAS
INNOCUOUS AND DENIED IT WAS ANTI-GOVERNMENT, DESCRIBING IT AS A
GOODWILL MESSAGE.
// STOTHARD ACT //
I THINK IT IS HIGH TIME THE BURMESE MILITARY REGIME GREW
UP AND REALIZED THAT IN THE REAL WORLD OUT THERE,
HANDING OUT GOODWILL MESSAGES IS A MINOR ACTIVITY AND
NOT EVEN WORTH NOTING.
// END ACT //
MS. STOTHARD DENIED THE GROUP HAD DELIBERATELY TRIED TO PROVOKE
THE GOVERNMENT INTO A REACTION THAT WOULD DRAW ATTENTION TO
PRO-DEMOCRACY EFFORTS.
// STOTHARD ACT //
IT WAS TO EXPRESS GOOD WILL WITH THE PEOPLE OF BURMA.
IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG IN THAT?
// END ACT //
SHE REFUSED TO CONFIRM OR DENY THERE WERE OTHER ACTIVISTS SENT TO
BURMA WHO ELUDED ARREST.
THE ACTION COMES AT A TIME OF HEIGHTENED TENSION BETWEEN THE
GOVERNMENT AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY, LED BY NOBEL
LAUREATE AUNG SAN SUU KYI. NO DEMONSTRATIONS OR PROTESTS MARKING
THE EVENT WERE HELD IN BURMA. BUT THE PARTY HAS DEMANDED THE
GOVERNMENT CONVENE THE PARLIAMENT ELECTED IN 1990 BY AUGUST 21ST
OR FACE UNSPECIFIED CONSEQUENCES.
THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IGNORED THE ELECTION'S OUTCOME AFTER THE
NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY OVERWHELMINGLY WON THE POLLS.