VOA 5/27

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DATE=5/27/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-197763
TITLE=BURMA MONDAY (L)
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  A SPECIAL CONGRESS OF BURMA'S MAIN DEMOCRACY PARTY
CONTINUED MONDAY AMID INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM OF THE ARREST OF
DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS BY THE COUNTRY'S RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT.
V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS ON THE FIRST REACTIONS IN
MILITARY-CONTROLLED MEDIA TO DEMANDS BY DEMOCRACY LEADER, AUNG
SAN SUU KYI, THAT BURMA'S MILITARY RULERS RECOGNIZE THE RESULTS
OF AN ELECTION WON BY HER PARTY SIX YEARS AGO:

TEXT:  MILITARY-CONTROLLED NEWSPAPERS HAD NO SPECIFIC REACTION TO
WEEKEND STATEMENTS BY AUNG SAN SUU KYI, WHO DEMANDED RECOGNITION
OF THE 1990 ELECTION RESULT AND REPEATED HER APPEAL FOR THE
MILITARY TO BEGIN POLITICAL TALKS.

HOWEVER, STATE-RUN MEDIA DID REPORT A SPEECH BY LIEUTENANT
GENERAL KHIN NYUNT -- CONSIDERED THE MOST POWERFUL MEMBER OF THE
RULING JUNTA.

SPEAKING ON SUNDAY, JUST AS THE N-L-D WAS BEGINNING ITS CONGRESS,
HE CRITICIZED FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS HE SAID WERE TRYING TO BRING
BURMA UNDER THEIR CONTROL.

OBSERVERS IN RANGOON AND DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SEE HIS STATEMENT AS
A REFERENCE TO THE UNITED STATES, WHICH HAS SHARPLY CRITICIZED
RECENT ARRESTS OF N-L-D DELEGATES.

HOWEVER, OTHER FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS HAVE JOINED IN CRITICIZING THE
MILITARY JUNTA'S DETENTION OF N-L-D MEMBERS, AND URGED A
POLITICAL DIALOGUE.

// OPT //  FOLLOWING EARLIER EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN BY JAPAN,
REPORTS FROM SEOUL SAY SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG SAM HAS
URGED RANGOON TO MAKE WHAT HE CALLED A GREATER EFFORT FOR
DEMOCRATIZATION AND TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS. // END OPT //

ALTHOUGH THE N-L-D CAME IN FOR MORE SHARP CRITICISM IN BURMESE
NEWSPAPERS, OBSERVERS SAID ONE BURMESE-LANGUAGE COMMENTARY
APPEARED TO TAKE A SOMEWHAT MORE MODERATE LINE.

THAT COMMENTARY, QUOTED IN NEWS AGENCY REPORTS, REFERRED TO
SUPPORT BY THE JUNTA FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLE OF FREEDOM OF
ASSEMBLY. BUT IT WENT ON TO URGE THE N-L-D TO UNDERSTAND THE
MILITARY'S CONCERNS AND TO COOPERATE.

AT A BANGKOK NEWS CONFERENCE (MONDAY) REPRESENTATIVES OF BURMESE
DEMOCRACY GROUPS URGED THE JUNTA TO BEGIN A THREE-WAY DIALOGUE
WITH THE N-L-D AND ETHNIC GROUPS.

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE UNION OF BURMA (N-C-U-B),
REPRESENTING FOUR MAIN DEMOCRACY GROUPS, SAID AN AGREEMENT
EMERGING FROM SUCH TALKS SHOULD LEAD TO THE CONVENING OF A
PARLIAMENT BASED ON THE 1990 ELECTION.

                         // REST OPT //

BURMESE STUDENTS STAGED ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE BURMESE
EMBASSY IN BANGKOK.  THEY SHOUTED SLOGANS IN SUPPORT OF AUNG SAN
SUU KYI, AND CALLED FOR THE RELEASE OF N-L-D MEMBERS DETAINED BY
THE JUNTA. (SIGNED)

NEB/DR/FC

27-May-96 6:22 AM EDT (1022 UTC)
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