News on India Papers June 1st

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Burmese government frees 74 dissidents
June 1st 1996, The Time of India (New Delhi)
By Robert Horn
 
Rangoon, May 31.
Burma's military regime on Friday freed at least 74 of the 262 people 
detained in a failed bid to stop pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu 
Kyi from holding a party congress.
 
Ms Suu Kyi debriefed about two dozens of those released at her 
lakeside home. Opposition leaders speculated that the regime may be 
softening its opposition t a dialogue with Ms Suu Kyi's National 
League for Democracy.
 
"When these people were detained, they were all asked a set of five or 
six questions," said Kyi Maung, party vice chairman. The one they 
really seemed to focus on was, "what do you think NLD really wants 
from a dialogue."
 
Mr. Kyi Maung concluded: "I think they are seriously contemplating a 
dialogue. That is my gut feeling."
 
State radio announced on Friday that those detained as "guest of the 
government" were being freed, but it was unclear if all would be 
released. The detainees comprised 238 conference delegates, plus 24 
ordinary party members.
 
Despite the mass arrests, the party conference led by Ms Suu Kyi, 
winner of the 1991 Nobel peace prize for her nonviolent promotion of 
democracy, posed the biggest challenge to the regime since she was 
freed form six years of house arrest last July.
 
Japan and Thailand have been two of the chief investors in Burma, 
arguing that foreign investment will improve the lives of the country's 
desperately poor people and give outsiders leverage to moderate the 
regime.
 
Embarrassed by the crackdown, both countries condemned the mass 
arrest and sent diplomatic observers to the arrest-depleted congress in 
a sign of support for Ms Suu Kyi.
 
The releases came hours after the United States announced plans to 
send a envoy to Burma to push for freedom for the activists. US state 
department spokesman Nicholas Burns said in Washington that the 
Burmese authorities "should not be left off scot free." (AP)
 
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Junta frees 60 Suu Kyi men, 9 to be put trial
June 1st 1996, The Asian Age (New Delhi)
 
Rangoon May 31: The military regime on Friday released at lease 60 
of the 262 detainees round up in a failed to prevent democracy leader 
Aung San Suu Kyi from holding a party congress. However, nine 
others were to put on trial, Opposition sources said.
 
The Opposition reported that 59 of those freed on Friday came form 
the ranks of 238 conference delegates detained in the past week. The 
other freed detained, plus three others released earlier, were ordinary 
supporters of Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. Government 
radio announced that those detained as so-called "guest of the 
government" 
were being freed.
 
This may reflect an easing of tensions in the biggest confrontation 
between 
Ms Suu Kyi and the junta since her release from six years of house arrest 
last July. Unlike in recent days, the state-run press on Friday refrained 
from calling her a "stooge" or "maggot" taking orders from foreign 
powers. 
The release came hours after the US announced plans to send an envoy to 
Burma to seek the release of the activists.
 
"The Burmese authorities, US state department spokesman Nicholas Burns 
said 
in Washington, "should not be let off scot free."
 
The Opposition predicted that activists considered a particular threat by 
the regime will not freed. Some have already been sent to Insein prison 
near Rangoon, notorious for torture, and face national security charges 
that allow indefinite detention.
 
Those freed reported no ill-treatment, the Opposition said. They had been 
held at military mess halls and clubs and at houses kept by military 
intelligence. The crackdown had been aimed at stopping a party conference 
that marked a symbolic challenge to the regime by Ms Suu Kyi. (AP)
 
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Award for Suu Kyi
June 1st 1996, The Hindu (New Delhi)
 
Washington: The Myanmarese pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, has 
been selected for the 10th annual W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award. 
The 
award, instituted by the National Democratic Institute for International 
affairs, will be presented to the National League for Democracy leader at 
a 
function in Chicago on August 26, the institute announced. As Ms Suu Kyi 
is 
not likely to receive the award in person, she will address the audience 
by 
video. Also to be honoured is the former U. S. Vice-President, Mr. Walter 
Mondale, who is currently his country's Ambassador to Japan. (PTI)
 
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Typed by News & Information Department of FTUB (WB)
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