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

Reuters-Myanmar military silent on



FOCUS-Myanmar military silent on opposition call 
03:15 a.m. Aug 22, 1998 Eastern 

By Aung Hla Tun 

YANGON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Myanmar's government remained silent on Saturday
after the pro-democracy opposition issued its most defiant challenge to
military rule by saying it would shortly call a ``People's Parliament.'' 

State media carried no reponse to the announcement by the National League
for Democracy, issued after the government ignored the NLD's Friday
deadline for convening parliament. 

But political analysts in Yangon said under existing laws promulgated by
the military government, the opposition action could result in it being
outlawed. 

On Friday, before the NLD announcement, two state newspapers ran
commentaries suggesting the party should be disbanded and its charismatic
leader Aung San Suu Kyi deported. 

The Myanmar-language Light of Myanmar presented the arguement as a
conversation between two friends in a pub. 

``The NLD and Aung San Suu Kyi have gone too far,'' one said. ``They have
been doing things detrimental to the interest of both the nation and the
people all along... Why hasn't the government done anything to take action
against them?'' 

Calling on the government to listen to the ``silent majority'' he added:
``The NLD should be disbanded and she should be deported...'' 

The friend replied: ``Don't worry...the state authorities are giving them
time to realise the truth and mend their ways.'' 

Residents said Yangon was abuzz with speculation about the political
standoff on Saturday, but otherwise calm. 

The NLD easily won Myanmar's last general election in 1990, but the
government ignored the result, saying a constitution was needed before a
parliament could be formed. 

On Thursday, a government spokesman said: ``Calling for a parliament in the
absence of a constitution is like forcing a bald person to dye his hair.'' 

The military annulled the constitution after taking direct power in 1988. A
constitutional convention began work on a new one in 1993 but it is not
expected any time soon. 

A 1996 law sets jail terms of five to 20 years for people who disrupt the
convention's work and says organisations convicted of this could be
suspended, abolished or declared unlawful. 

On Friday, the NLD rejected the government arguement. 

``By failing to convene a People's Parliament, the authorities ignore the
desire of the people and (abandon) their commitment to the state and the
people,'' it said. 

``Therefore, the NLD hereby announces that it will convene a People's
Parliament comprising people's representatives of the national races within
a short period.'' 

Its statement, issued in the Myanmar language, could also be interpreted to
mean the parliament would be called ``within a few days'' or ``not too many
days hence.'' 

It was the opposition's most direct challenge to the military government. 

However, diplomats said the absence of a specific date for calling
parliament might leave the door open for a government response. 

Government and NLD leaders met last Tuesday for the first time in a year,
but the NLD stressed the meeting did not constitute a ``dialogue,'' which
could not take place without Suu Kyi. 

The 1991 Nobel laureate and daughter of independence hero Aung San has been
stuck since August 12 in a minivan about 32 km (20 miles) outside Yangon.
The government has refused to let her travel to the west of the country and
she has refused to return to Yangon. 

On Friday, the NLD said Suu Kyi would hold out until the government
released 97 detained NLD members even though she showed signs of jaundice
and her blood pressure was a little low.