BURMA/DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEETING

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=5/27/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-232839

TITLE=BURMA/ DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEETING (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  SEVERAL HUNDRED MEMBERS OF BURMA'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY 

MET TODAY (WEDNESDAY) AT THE RANGOON HOME OF PARTY LEADER AUNG 

SAN SUU KYI.  AS DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA 

BUREAU, THE MEETING MARKS A THAW IN RELATIONS BETWEEN 

PRO-DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNERS AND BURMA'S RULING MILITARY COUNCIL.


TEXT:  MORE THAN 400 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY

PARTY -- THE N-L-D -- GATHERED AT AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S LAKESIDE 

HOME (ON UNIVERSITY AVENUE) FOR A RARE PARTY CONGRESS.


THE MEETING CAME ON THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF AN ELECTION IN 

WHICH THE N-L-D WON MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE SEATS.  THE 

RULING MILITARY COUNCIL WAS STUNNED BY THE DEFEAT OF PRO-MILITARY

PARTIES IN THAT ELECTION, AND  NEVER  ALLOWED THE PARLIAMENT TO 

MEET.  


ATTEMPTS IN RECENT YEARS TO HOLD PARTY CONGRESSES ON THE ELECTION

ANNIVERSARY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE GENERALS WHO RUN BURMA.


BUT ON WEDNESDAY, PARTY DELEGATES IN SMALL GROUPS WERE ALLOWED 

INTO AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S RANGOON VILLA.  THERE WAS NO VISIBLE 

EXTRA SECURITY AROUND THE HOUSE, AND THE ARMED GUARDS WHO ARE 

ALWAYS THERE APPEARED RELAXED.


THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL WARNED THE PARTY SUNDAY  NOT  TO 

ATTEMPT TO HOLD AN ANNIVERSARY MEETING.  BUT IT REVERSED ITSELF 

TUESDAY, SAYING THE MEETING COULD GO AHEAD UNDER CERTAIN 

CONDITIONS, WHICH HAVE  NOT  BEEN MADE PUBLIC.


DESPITE THIS CONCESSION, PARTY LEADERS SAY ABOUT 320 OF THEIR 

SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE RANGOON WERE PREVENTED FROM COMING TO THE 

MEETING, OR IN SOME CASES DETAINED.  THE PARTY LEADERS ARE 

CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL DETAINEES.


IN HER REMARKS AT THE MEETING, AUNG SAN SUU KYI SENT A MESSAGE TO

THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL .  SHE SAID POLITICAL DIALOGUE 

BETWEEN THE GENERALS AND THE PRO-DEMOCRACY FORCES IS INEVITABLE.


"TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AGAINST THE DIALOGUE," AUNG SAN SUU KYI 

SAID, " I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU CAN NEVER AVOID IT."


THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL IS OVERSEEING AN EXTREMELY 

SLOW-MOVING PROCEDURE TO DRAFT A NEW CONSTITUTION, LEADING TO 

ANOTHER ELECTION.


IN HER SPEECH, AUNG SAN SUU KYI REJECTED THAT PROCESS, SAYING THE

PARLIAMENT ELECTED IN 1990 SHOULD BE CONVENED.


SHE ALSO REPEATED EARLIER PLEDGES BY SENIOR N-L-D LEADERS THAT  

HER PARTY WILL  NOT  SEEK REVENGE FROM ANYONE NOW IN POWER.


AUNG SAN SUU KYI, THE WINNER OF THE 1991 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, IS 

THE DAUGHTER OF BURMESE INDEPENDENCE HERO AUNG SAN. SHE WAS HELD 

UNDER HOUSE ARREST FROM 1989 TO 1994 AND HER MOVEMENTS OVER THE 

LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN CLOSELY CONTROLLED.   (SIGNED)


NEB/DB/GC/FC/WTW


27-May-98 5:02 AM EDT (0902 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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