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NEWS - SPDC Non-Government Military



Subject: NEWS - SPDC Non-Government Military, Sets Up a Spoof Rally 

SPDC Non-Government Military, Sets Up a Spoof Rally 

Rangoon Post - October 15, 1999 
 Rangoon, Burma - About 22 so-called semi-government organizations
gathered for a pro-SPDC military rally on Friday to condemn the actions
of the pro-democracy freedom fighters' take-over of the embassy in
Thailand.

  "Being only government related organizations and not regular people
means the military arranged this" quoting an un-named spectator in
Rangoon. Only the semi-government organizations were in attendance and
probally without much choice.  Other rallies or demonstrations are
rarely allowed any more since there is a military law about no groups
larger than 3 people are allowed.


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Pro-Government Myanmar Rally Condemns "Terrorists"

YANGON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - About 15,000 people gathered for a
pro-government rally in the Myanmar capital on Friday to condemn what
they called "terrorists and terrorism" in an apparent response to a
siege this month of the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok. 

Witnesses said the demonstration, which lasted a little over an hour,
was made up of 22 semi-government organisations from various parts of
Myanmar. 

It coincided with a visit to Myanmar of assistant U.N. secretary-general
for political affairs Alvaro de Soto who has held meetings with the
government and opposition in a bid to promote dialogue. 

Rally organisers proposed a motion, approved unanimously by the largely
subdued crowd, that "we firmly support the efforts carried out by the
government for the prevalence of peace and development." 

Myanmar's military government has been embarrassed by the 25-hour siege
of its embassy in the Thai capital on October 1-2, which ended when five
armed Myanmar dissidents freed their 89 hostages and escaped in a Thai
government helicopter. 

Although condemned by the official Myanmar opposition, the bloodless
publicity stunt gave the pro-democracy activists' cause a huge boost by
highlighting their demands for the convening of a parliament elected in
1990. 

The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel peace prize winner
Aung San Suu Kyi, won that poll by an overwhelming margin but the ruling
generals have never allowed it to govern. 

Relations with neighbouring Thailand were damaged by the siege and by
Thailand's refusal to condemn the action. 

Thai Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart said after the siege that
his government didn't consider them terrorists but "student activists
who fight for democracy." 

Yangon accused Thailand of glorifying the "terrorists." 

The NLD issued a statement accusing the Myanmar military intelligence
services of organising Friday's rally. 

Local sources told Reuters a similar rally might also take place in
Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, but gave no further details. 

In the past the Myanmar government has used similar rallies to put
pressure on the opposition. It engineered a series of rallies in 19
Myanmar cities in 1998 to condemn the NLD and Suu Kyi during a period of
pro-democracy activism, diplomats said. 

De Soto was due to meet the powerful Secretary-One of Myanmar's ruling
State Peace and Development Council Khin Nyunt and other government
officials on Friday.