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BURMA/NAME VOA Report



DATE=11/15/97   Please feel free to redistribute the following report.

Sincerely,

Julien Moe
------------            

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222715


TITLE=BURMA / NAME (S ONLY)

BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 


INTRO: BURMA'S RULING MILITARY COUNCIL ANNOUNCED SATURDAY IT WAS 

DISSOLVING ITSELF.  HOWEVER, AS DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM OUR 

SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK, THE GENERALS AT THE SAME TIME 

ESTABLISHED A NEW RULING COMMITTEE LED BY THE SAME MEN WHO LED 

THE COUNCIL.


TEXT: SATURDAY'S REPORT ON STATE RADIO SAID THE RULING STATE LAW 

AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL -- KNOWN BY ITS INITIALS AS SLORC 

--WAS DISSOLVED AND REPLACED BY A NEW RULING BODY CALLED THE 

PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.


THE ANNOUNCEMENT SAID THE COMMITTEE WAS FOUNDED BY SLORC CHAIRMAN

GENERAL THAN SHWE.






THE COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF THE COMMANDERS OF BURMA'S FIFTEEN 

MILITARY REGIONS AND THE TOP FOUR GENERALS IN THE PREVIOUS 

MILITARY COUNCIL.


THE ANNOUNCEMENT SAID THE CHANGE WAS MADE IN THE INTEREST OF WHAT

IT CALLED "DISCIPLINED DEMOCRACY."


MILITARY REGIMES HAVE RULED IN BURMA SINCE 1962.  THE STATE LAW 

AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL WAS FORMED AFTER SECURITY FORCES 

PUT AN END TO NATIONWIDE PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATIONS IN 1988.


HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE SUPPRESSION OF THE 

DEMONSTRATIONS.  THOUSANDS WERE JAILED OR FLED INTO EXILE ALONG 

THE BORDER WITH THAILAND. (SIGNED)


NEB/DB/EH


15-Nov-97 8:57 AM EST (1357 UTC)