Reuters- Afraid Myanmar junta seeks

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Subject: Reuters- Afraid Myanmar junta seeks temporary ban on its workers

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Myanmar seeks temporary ban on its workers return
08:36 a.m. Sep 03, 1999 Eastern
MAESOT, Thailand, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Myanmar has sought help from the Thai
military to temporarily bar thousands of its workers employed in a
neighbouring western Thai town from returning to the country between
September 2 to 9.

The move was aimed at preventing workers from the Thai town of Maesot from
taking part in an anti-Myanmar government uprising called by Myanmar exiles
for September 9, 1999 - the so-called ``four nines day,'' Thai army sources
told Reuters on Friday.

Myanmar military authorities in eastern Myawadi town, opposite Maesot, had
sent a letter to their Thai counterparts urging the temporary ban on the
return of the workers, the sources said.

The letter, dated September 2, was signed by Lieutenant Colonel Thin Ngwe,
commander of a Myanmar military base in Myawadi, they added.

Maesot chamber of commerce data shows that about 100,000 Myanmar workers are
employed in 130 factories in the town.

``Myanmar reasoned that anti-government elements are actively campaigning
for an uprising in the country during such a period,'' an army source said.

``So they asked us to onpass the message to employers in Maesot not to allow
Myanmar workers to take holidays or return home during that period.''

Separately, an umbrella group of dissidents based on the Thai-Myanmar
border, the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), said the Myanmar
military had tightened security throughout the country.

Seven Myanmar military officers and two rank and file soldiers were arrested
in Papun township in eastern Karen state on August 27 for circulating
pro-democracy posters and urging their fellow soldiers to join pro-democracy
movements, the group said.

The main War Office in the capital Yangon has also issued orders to military
commanders to prohibit military personnel from travelling to Yangon unless
on duty and to recall all officers presently there to their respective
military units, it added.

``Restrictions have also been imposed on relatives of military personnel as
well. They have been prohibited from wearing anything with a yellow colour,
the symbol of the upcoming 9-9-99 pro-democracy movement,'' it said.