Statement of ABMU Appeal to the Peo

[padauk@xxxxxxxxxx]

             ABMU  APPEAL  TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF   BURMA


Military dictators have been using religious riots as a political ploy
whenever demands for political changes gain momentum in Burma.  More than
42 Islamic mosques were destroyed when a religious riot was instigated on
March 16, 1997.  There is a strong possibility of the SPDC resorting to a
similar religious conflict.

In early January 1998 there were indications that political activities were
about to take off in the major cities everywhere.  When they saw the signs,
the SPDC (SLORC) began making mass arrests of monks, students, members of
the National League for Democracy and the other people.  There is
dissatisfaction within the SPDC military and also among the police
personnel, who are discontent with the way the military intelligence is
making excessive use of the power.

On January 2, 1998, the SPDC sacked and placed under investigation
Commander Myo Tint of the Rangoon Division Police Force after accusing him
of being a member of the ousted clique of Lt. General Tun Kyi and Lt.
General Kyaw Ba.  In addition, five police commanders from states and
divisions were also forced to retire.  Police personnel are increasingly
dissatisfied with the SPDC over the affair.  In addition, the people are
facing severe hardships due to rising commodity prices and increasing
repression.  The situation can lead to a mass uprising. There have been
reports of police personnel and soldiers willing to join the people in case
 of a civil unrest.

Instead of resolving political problems through political means, we, the
ABMU, have learned that the SPDC, in order to ensure that the military
dictatorship survives,  plans to resort to a political ploy and create a
religious conflict to divert the anger toward the Muslims.  We plead to the
people of all religions to be very careful in avoiding the trap of the SPDC.

We, the ABMU, unequivocally calls on the monks, the students, the ethnic
brothers, and all the other people of all nationalities to see through the
ploy of the SPDC and join the struggle being waged by the democratic
organizations to bring and end to the military dictatorship.

                    The military dictatorship will certainly end! 
                    People of all religions, unite!
                    The struggle for democracy will surely succeed!
                    A federal union will definitely emerge!



The Central Committee
The ABMU
January 27, 1998

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