[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

BBC-Burma's deadline approaches



Friday, August 21, 1998 Published at 07:56 GMT 08:56 UK 

Burma's deadline approaches 

Tension is rising in Burma on August 21 - the deadline set by the
opposition for the military government to convene parliament or face the
consequences. 

But the military government ignored the poll results and refused to let the
elected parliament take its seats. 

The BBC's correspondent in the region, David Willis, says that since then,
the regime has repressed the opposition, jailing, torturing and
intimidating some of its supporters. 

He says the deadline is certain to be ignored and the NLD has not said what
action it will take, if any, in response. 

But despite rumours of protest, the Burmese may be too frightened to take
to the streets, fearing a repeat of bloodshed 10 years ago when thousands
of people are thought to have died in clashes with the military. 

Nobel winner continues protest 

The party's leader, Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, has spent
the last nine days protesting against a government order preventing her
from travelling out of the capital, Rangoon, to meet party supporters. 

She has remained parked in her van, 20 miles south-west of the capital,
Rangoon, after soldiers blocked her way. 

In newspaper comment columns usually given over to denouncing Aung San Suu
Kyi, the state-controlled press has urged people not to be disturbed by
rumours which it said were designed to cause civil unrest and
anti-government riots. 

Possibly in an attempt to defuse any plans for protest, the military has
held the first talks with members of the NLD for more than a year. Aung San
Suu Kyi was not present. 

The NLD has described the military's previous attempts at discussion as
insincere.