AFP-Myanmar junta's nightmare upon

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Subject: AFP-Myanmar junta's nightmare upon  September 9 mass uprising 

Myanmar junta says September 9 mass uprising won't eventuate
YANGON, Aug 21 (AFP) - Myanmar's military junta said Saturday calls by
dissidents and exiled students for a mass uprising next month are destined
to fail.
Junta spokesman Hla Min told AFP there was little sign a planned uprising on
September 9 would eventuate.

"It's pleasantly quiet here, you don't see extra security on the road," the
spokesman said.

"But unfortunately those groups on the Thai border are trying to make things
look as if everything is ready to blow up, but nothing is ready to blow up."

Dissidents and exiled students based in Bangkok have called for a nationwide
uprising on September 9 -- 9/9/99 -- a day of numercial significance for
many here.

August 8 -- 8/8/88 - marked the 11th anniversary of a popular uprising in
which hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators were gunned down and a junta
took power from strongman Ne Win.

Opposition groups have said the Myanmar people feel they have an
"appointment" with September 9 to repeat the events of the so-called 1988
uprising and end the military's 37-year domination of politics.

But Hla Min said most people in Myanmar had ignored the 'four-nines'
movement.

"The overwhelming majority of the people are not obsessed with politics,
nobody is interested in this so called 9999," the spokesman said.

However, the military has confirmed it arrested 37 people in recent weeks in
connection with the planned uprising.

The All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) said the real number of
detainees wais closer to 150.

In a statement received by AFP Saturday, the ABSDF said high school students
in Tamwe township near the capital Yangon had staged demonstrations in
support of the September 9 movement.

"They shouted slogans complaining about expensive extra tuition fees, a
shortage of education facilities such as textbooks, daily economic hardship
and calling for the upcoming 9999," the statement said.

The ABSDF said there is widespread concern that all schools inside Myanmar
may be closed in an attempt by the military to head off trouble on September
nine.

Hla Min said there was little support for the 9999 movement, but criticised
the involvement of students in the planned unrest.

"People are fed up with all this nonsense, on the ninth they will create
here and there small things but no major disturbances," he said.

"That's why they are doing it with high school kids because the grown-ups
will not be duped into doing things like that," he added.