Learning Ban Harms Nation's Future

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South China Morning Post
Wednesday  July 2  1997

The Mekong Region 
Learning ban 'harms nation's future' 



BURMA by William Barnes in Bangkok 
The junta's refusal to reopen universities and schools for fear of 
political unrest is doing incalculable damage to the country, says a 
leader of the opposition National League for Democracy.

The universities have been on "vacation" since December after hundreds 
of students took to the streets in anti-authority protests.

"It's really quite shocking that the military will put the country's 
future in jeopardy because it's afraid of some criticism," said U Tin 
Oo, vice-chairman of the National League for Democracy.

Last year's student protests were the first mass demonstrations since a 
popular uprising in 1988 that forced shadowy dictator General Ne Win to 
withdraw into the background.

The universities were subsequently closed for three years - encouraging 
many students to flee.

Although the State Law and Order Restoration Council is trying to 
encourage economic growth, it has virtually zero tolerance for dissent.

"How on earth is poor Burma ever going to prosper in a very competitive 
world if even the schools are closed," said Mr U Tin Oo.

A junta spokesman merely repeated the official line that colleges would 
be reopened when appropriate.

Zaw Min, a member of a student exile group in Bangkok, said the 
educational establishments were likely to remain closed for another two 
months at least. "There are some very sensitive anniversaries coming 
up."

On July 7, 1962, the military first seized power in modern Burma, and on 
July 8, blew up Rangoon's students' union building.

Next month also sees the anniversary of the start of the 1988 riots.



?A military intelligence official said Japanese police and Interpol were 
co-operating with Burma in investigating an April parcel bomb attack at 
the Rangoon home of Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Tin Oo, which 
killed the general's elder daughter.

The junta has said an opposition group exiled in Japan posted the bomb.

"THERE WILL BE NO REAL DEMOCRACY IF WE CAN'T GURANTEE THE RIGHTS OF THE 
MINORITY ETHNIC PEOPLE.  ONLY UNDERSTANDING THEIR SUFFERING AND HELPING 
THEM TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS WILL ASSIST PREVENTING FROM THE 
DISINTEGRATION AND THE SESESSION."  "WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THEIR 
STRENGTH, WE CAN'T TOPPLE THE SLORC AND BURMA WILL NEVER BE IN PEACE."


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