SECURITY REMAINS TIGHT IN BURMA

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=3/25/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-211974
TITLE=BURMA / UNREST (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:   SECURITY REMAINS TIGHT IN BURMA FOLLOWING A SERIES OF 
CLASHES BETWEEN BUDDHISTS AND MUSLIMS.  THE RULING MILITARY 
GOVERNMENT DENIES THERE WERE ANY CASUALTIES IN THE CLASHES, WHICH
OCCURRED IN RANGOON AND MANDALAY, AND SAYS IT HAS THE SITUATION 
UNDER CONTROL.  VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR 
SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.

TEXT:   IN A STATEMENT SENT TO WESTERN NEWS AGENCIES, BURMESE 
AUTHORITIES  SAY THE SITUATION IN RANGOON AND MANDALAY IS UNDER 
CONTROL.  THE STATEMENT SAYS THE MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS 
HAS WORKED OUT WHAT WAS TERMED "APPROPRIATE" SECURITY AND OTHER 
MEASURES TO PREVENT ANY REPEAT OF THE RECENT CLASHES BETWEEN 
MUSLIMS AND BUDDHISTS.


IT ALSO SAYS LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE, IN COOPERATION WITH 
RELIGIOUS LEADERS, TAKEN PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN SOME OTHER CITIES
AS WELL.  IT DID NOT SAY WHAT THOSE MEASURES ARE.  REPORTS 
SURFACED MONDAY THAT SOME 100 YOUNG BUDDHIST MONKS HAD BEEN 
DETAINED IN RANGOON.

REPEATED CALLS TO A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN FOR CLARIFICATION WERE 
NOT RETURNED.

EYEWITNESSES REPORT HEIGHTENED SECURITY MEASURES REMAIN IN EFFECT
AROUND MUSLIM PLACES OF WORSHIP IN RANGOON AND MANDALAY.  AN 
EIGHT P-M TO FOUR A-M CURFEW IS IN FORCE IN MANDALAY, THE 
COUNTRY'S SECOND LARGEST CITY.  SOME OF THE MEASURES ARE BELIEVED
TO BE PART OF EXTRA SECURITY LAID ON FOR ARMED FORCES DAY, WHICH 
IS TO BE CELEBRATED THURSDAY.

THE CLASHES ERUPTED JUST OVER ONE WEEK AGO IN MANDALAY FOLLOWING 
A REPORT  THAT A BUDDHIST GIRL HAD BEEN RAPED BY A MUSLIM.  MONKS
RESPONDED BY  ATTACKING MOSQUES AND MUSLIM-OWNED SHOPS AND CAFES.
SIMILAR ATTACKS ERUPTED IN RANGOON AND OTHER CITIES.

THE GOVERNMENT SAYS MOSQUES AND TO MUSLIM-OWNED HOMES AND 
BUSINESSES SUFFERED ONLY MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE  AND THAT THERE 
WERE NO CASUALTIES IN THE CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO 
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES.  THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS ONE MONK WAS SHOT
DEAD, AS SECURITY FORCES TRIED TO BREAK UP ONE CLASH IN MANDALAY,
BUT THAT HAS NEVER BEEN INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED. 

BURMA IS 95 PER CENT BUDDHIST. ONLY ABOUT FOUR PER CENT OF 
BURMA'S CITIZENS ARE MUSLIMS, MANY OF THEM IMMIGRANTS FROM SOUTH 
ASIAN COUNTRIES.

THE GOVERNMENT ALLEGES THE ATTACKS ARE NOT RELIGIOUSLY BASED BUT 
ARE, AS THE STATEMENT PUT IT, "VERY MUCH POLITICALLY MOTIVATED." 
THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE RAPE INCIDENT WAS RESOLVED BETWEEN THE 
TWO FAMILIES IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT OCCURRED.  IT BLAMES THE 
ATTACKS ON ANTI-GOVERNMENT GROUPS OUT TO CREATE TENSION BETWEEN 
BURMA AND MEMBER STATES OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN 
NATIONS AND TO DERAIL BURMA'S PENDING ENTRY INTO ASEAN.

BURMA IS EXPECTED TO BE GRANTED FULL ASEAN MEMBERSHIP BY JULY.  
TWO OF  ASEAN'S MEMBERS -- INDONESIA AND MALAYSIA -- ARE 
PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM COUNTRIES. (SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/FC