Myanmar rulers wave olive branch on

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Full story Myanmar rulers wave olive branch on Army Day 
02:05 a.m. Mar 27, 1998 Eastern 

YANGON, March 27 (Reuters) - Myanmar's (Burma's) military rulers on Friday
waved an olive branch to opposition parties and urged them to strive for
unity and peace. 

``Whichever parties or organisations above ground are our citizens, our
nationals, though our beliefs and commitments may not be the same, there is
no reason to bear any grudge,'' said Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of
the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), in a speech marking
Armed Forces Day. 

``Conditions may not permit today but we must at one time strive for the
unity of our nation's political group,'' the general, who is also prime
minister and commander-in-chief of defence services, said at a government
parade to mark the occasion. 

But premier Than Shwe was also quick to point out that Myanmar's strength
lay in a strong military leadership. 

``Only when the Tatmadaw (military) is strong will the nation be strong,''
he said. 

Some 5,670 members of the defence, police and auxiliary forces marched past
in the parade in the capital. 

As the senior general spoke, the opposition National League for Democracy
(NLD) led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, held a rival Resistance Day
gathering at her lakeside residence in Yangon. 

It was attended by about 500 people, including party members, war veterans
and diplomats. 

Suu Kyi did not speak at the ceremony, which was allowed without any
harassment by the authorities, but the NLD issued a declaration. 

The statement said that Myanmar's independence leader, General Aung San,
and other martyrs who had fought for independence in 1948 for the country
from British colonialism had succeeded by holding talks with their
adversaries. 

``Therefore, it is clear evidence that we can attain our goal through the
path of talks. All the problems facing the country today can also be solved
by holding talks,'' the declaration said. 

The SPDC and opposition have been engaged in a political standoff since the
NLD won a 1990 general election which the military refused to recognise. 

The opposition and western sympathisers have accused the military of
curbing opposition political activities and abusing human rights. 

Several attempts by both sides to hold talks have failed because the
military refuses to allow Suu Kyi to take part in such negotiations. 

But local analysts said they were surprised by the military's softer stance
against the opposition. 

``Unlike previous speeches delivered on these sort of occasions, he did not
say...we must crush, we must annihilate all internal and external
destructive elements as the common enemy,'' a local analyst who declined to
be identified said. 

In Bangkok, a group of about 20 Myanmar student exiles and Thai activists
protested in front of the Myanmar embassy against the SPDC. 

A statement issued by the student group demanded that Japan withhold all
investments and financial assistance to Myanmar until human rights and
political peace were restored in the country. ^REUTERS@