VOA-BURMA ARRESTS

[tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

VOA
DATE=8/15/1999
BURMA ARRESTS / L-O

Burmese opposition groups have accused Burma's 
military government of arresting more than 100-
activists, in recent weeks, amid a crackdown.  Ron 
Corbin reports the government denies the accusations -
- but political tensions are on the rise in the 
country, ahead of calls for anti-government action on 
September ninth.

TEXT:  A Burmese opposition group, in exile, says 
Burma's military government has stepped up searches 
and arrests of pro-democracy activists, with more than 
100-arrests in the past two-weeks.

The "All-Burma Student Democratic Front", says the 
crackdown is a part of measures to prevent anti-
government activity between now and September ninth. 
The date has been marked by some pro-democracy groups 
as a time for action against the government.

In a statement (released Sunday), the opposition group 
called for dialogue with the military government on a 
possible peaceful transition, after 37-years of 
military rule.  A spokesman for the exile group says 
several key towns -- including the northern city, 
Mandalay -- have been under a virtual curfew for more 
than a week.  

Burma's military government was quick to deny the 
accusation, saying the opposition claims of arrests in 
the past two-weeks are part of a smear campaign.  The 
government also denies curfews have been imposed on 
several cities, throughout the country.

The denials come after the military government 
acknowledged Friday it had arrested four people and 
put a halt to a group said to be preparing a plan for 
a general uprising on September ninth.

Although the date has no historical links, Burmese 
opposition groups believe the four "nine" digits, 
appearing together "9-9-99" are numrerologically 
significant.

The military government has accused the leading 
opposition party "The National League for Democracy", 
led by Aung San Suu Kyi, of planning to encourage the 
Burmese people to revolt on September Ninth.

The government also accuses the N-L-D with cooperating 
with anti-government exiles, ethnic rebels, drug 
traffickers, communists, and former students. 

A spokesman for the military government claims the N-
L-D is aiming to convince the civil servants, workers, 
and peasants -- as well as the military and police -- 
to rise up against authority.  The spokesman says 
those who try to incite unrest will be severely 
punished.

The Burmese military government -- which refused to 
honor 1990 N-L-D / won elections -- has been isolated 
by many Western governments and condemned by many 
human rights groups for its record.   (SIGNED)