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BURMA/DAY 2
DATE=5/28/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-214905
TITLE=BURMA/DAY TWO (L ONLY)
BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE RULING MILITARY JUNTA IN BURMA USED BARRICADES AND
RIOT POLICE AGAIN TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO LIMIT ATTENDANCE AT THE
SECOND DAY OF A TWO-DAY CONGRESS OF THE OPPOSITION NATIONAL
LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY PARTY. DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM OUR
SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK ON THE TENSE STANDOFF IN
RANGOON.
TEXT: ON WEDNESDAY -- AS ON TUESDAY -- MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL
LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY'S CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WERE ALLOWED
INTO THE LAKESIDE COMPOUND OF PARTY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI, IN A
RANGOON UNIVERSITY DISTRICT. OTHER PARTY ACTIVISTS, DIPLOMATS
AND JOURNALISTS WERE AGAIN TURNED AWAY.
IN A STATEMENT WEDNESDAY, THE OPPOSITION PARTY SAID THE RULING
STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL'S ACTIONS WERE CONTRARY
TO ITS PROMISE TO ESTABLISH DEMOCRACY IN BURMA.
THE STATEMENT ADDED THAT IN ADDITION TO PREVENTING HUNDREDS OF
DELEGATES FROM ATTENDING THE PARTY CONGRESS, THE AUTHORITIES ALSO
DETAINED RELATIVES OF PARTY DELEGATES WHEN THE DELEGATES WERE
NOT FOUND IN THEIR HOMES.
THIS WEEK'S PARTY CONGRESS WAS MEANT TO SET POLICY AND ALSO TO
CELEBRATE TUESDAY'S SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF A NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR
DEMOCRACY ELECTION VICTORY.
ON MAY 27TH, 1990, THE PARTY WON MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE
SEATS FOR A PROPOSED PARLIAMENT IN AN ELECTION SANCTIONED BY THE
MILITARY. WITH ITS CANDIDATES ROUTED, THE JUNTA CANCELLED THE
RESULTS AND THE PARLIAMENT NEVER MET.
THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY CRITICIZED BURMA'S DETENTION
OF OPPOSITION PARTY MEMBERS. ON WEDNESDAY, JAPAN'S PRIME
MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO SAID HE HOPED BURMA'S EXPECTED
ADMISSION TO THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS -- ASEAN
-- WOULD NOT MEAN THE MILITARY-LED GOVERNMENT WOULD BE SPARED
CRITICISM IN THE FUTURE.
BURMA, CAMBODIA AND LAOS ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR MEMBERSHIP IN
ASEAN, WHICH CURRENTLY GROUPS BRUNEI, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THE
PHILIPPINES, SINGAPORE, THAILAND AND VIETNAM. (SIGNED)
NEB/DB/MMK
28-May-97 6:11 AM EDT (1011 UTC)