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PRESS RELEASE (r)



PRESS RELEASE
26th June 1998

The National League for Democracy has held reading classes every
Thursday for youth and students in the compound of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

On Thursday the 25th of June 1998, at around 13:00 as usual around 40
youth came to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's house for their reading class. The
"Lon Htein"  or riot police, who were stationed at the corner of Kaba
Aye Pagoda road and Inya road, refused entrance to the youth. 

U Tin Oo, Vice President of the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Suu came
outside to see what the problem was. and asked the police to allow the
youth into the compound. as a list of names and the reason had already
been given to the authorities. The police replied that they did not have
any list and therefore could not allow the youth in.

At around 15:00  the youth said they would go in as there leader had
asked them to come. The police then drew three lines, the third line
being between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's compound and the primary school. At
the third line, the police shouted '' XXX your leader" Then plain
clothed civilians, who had come from nowhere suddenly started  hitting
the students.  It is believed that Daw Suu was also pushed to the
ground.  Reports suggest that she was shaken but not seriously hurt  
After the melee had stopped, a police officer came to apologise for the
actions.

A young women named Naw Ohn Hla was hit on the head and fell down, and 
AYE  TUN and MOE NAING were also hit on the head. 

At the same time, around 15:45, the riot police circled the NLD
headquarters in Shwegondaing 

It was reported that around 21:00 only the usual Lon Htein, riot police,
were left at the compound and extra barricades put up at the time of the
scuffle, had been removed.

Friday  26th June 1998
Further reports suggest that some students are gathered near the NLD
headquarters in Shwegondaing and the National Coalition Government of
the Union of Burma (NCGUB) is now calling for the diplomatic community
in Rangoon to form a monitoring team in the hope that this could prevent
a repeat of 1988 massacres.   "This is a most serious situation which
should not be ignored", said, U Maung Maung Aye, Information Minister of
the NCGUB.
Ends 
Media Contact: U MAUNG MAUNG AYE  Information Minister. Ph: 61 041
6304348
Burma Office[Sydney]  Ph: 61 2 9264 7694