SPECIAL HOUSE IN INSEIN PRISON BELI

[lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Media Release
Date: 2 July 1998


        SPECIAL HOUSE IN INSEIN PRISON BELIEVED TO BE FOR SUU KYI


According to informed sources from Insein Prison in Rangoon, a
special detached house located in the women's prison section of
the prison was being renovated last week believed to be for
Burma's pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. 

The renovation started immediately after the National League for
Democracy (NLD) sent a letter to the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) on June 24 1998 demanding that the parliament of
the elected representatives of 1990 be convened within 60 days.

The house was built in December 1995 following the NLD boycott of
the National Convention organised by the military regime and was
renovated at one other time in April 1996. 

Meanwhile, visiting rights of all 42 NLD members of parliament
(MP) who are in prison have been withdrawn. This is considereed
to be a preparation for the Burmese military authorities to
entirely restrict the movements of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi following
the NLD's demand. This preparation coincides with attacks on Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi from the state-own media and clamp-down on the
NLD MPs.

In addition, on 26 June 1998,  the SPDC instructed township
authorities all over Burma to order all respective NLD MPs in
their areas to report to them twice daily. All NLD MPs are now
required to seek permission to travel outside their towns. 

On 27 June 1998, more than 40 MPs were detained in their
respective townships in connection with NLD's demand to convene
parliament. Among the detained are Kyonpyaw township MP U Mahn
Johnny, Ngapudaw MP U David Hla Myint and Pantanaw MP U Mahn
Nyunt Thein, all of whom are from the Irrawaddy Division.

A day after the NLD's demand, a scuffle broke out between the
security forces and the NLD youth members and young supporters of
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi when the latter tried to enter her Rangoon
compound for a regular "reading session". Five NLD youth wing
members sustained head injuries while Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was
pushed to the ground during the scuffles.

All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)

For more information please contact 01-654 4984, 01-253 9082