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SCMP- Madness of Khin Nyunt



South China Morning Post
Monday, August 30, 1999
BURMA

Junta lauds progress in bid to counter dissidents
DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR in Rangoon

A senior member of the junta has spelled out the Government's achievements,
apparently with one eye on the forthcoming "four nines" day - September 9 -
when exiled dissidents have called for a popular uprising.
Since coming to power in 1988, the Government had built 100 dams for
irrigation, constructed 5,870km of roads and put up 45 bridges, Junta First
Secretary Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt told teachers in Mandalay.

It had also laid 1,600km of railway, bought four Fokker-27 passenger
aircraft and upgraded several airports.

He did not touch on the regime's record on education. The universities were
all closed by the junta in December 1996 to avoid student demonstrations.

The regime, now called the State Peace and Development Council, seized power
after a military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that left
thousands dead. Western governments stopped all development aid soon after
the crackdown.

Two men injured when a grenade was thrown at the car of a colonel earlier
this month were still being treated for head injuries, the exiled All Burma
Students' Democratic Front said. It speculated the attackers were linked to
the military since civilians would not be able to obtain explosives.