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NLD Leaders' Car Stopped by Police



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 7, 1998


	N A T I O N A L   C O A L I T I O N   G O V E R N M E N T=20

		    O F   T H E   U N I O N   O F   B U R M A


	Police Stop NLD Leaders' Car En Route to Taikkyi


The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) today
said the police blockade on July 7, 1998 to prevent the visit to Taikkyi
Township by the leaders of the National League for Democracy further
confirms the true situation in the country; that the ruling generals are
the worst violators of human rights and afraid to let the NLD leaders
meet the people.


Prime Minister Sein Win said, "The incident shows that the ruling
military junta is a weakling, without popular support, and remains in
power through brute force and by avoiding to convene the Parliament
following the 1990 elections."


The latest incident follows recent mass arrests and imposition of travel
restrictions on the elected representatives from the NLD. The "Habitual
Offenders Restriction Act" has been cited by the junta to confine all
elected NLD representatives to their township limits and to make them
report to their local police twice a day. =20


The NLD Executive Committee has issued a statement on June 30 saying that
none of the elected representatives violated the Act and it was an
"unjust action" taken against them.=20


The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma=20


- fully supports the right of the NLD leaders and the elected
representatives to travel freely,=20

- calls on the international community to give its full backing to the
ultimatum issued the NLD leadership to convene the Parliament in August,
and

- to release all elected representatives imprisoned for refusing to abide
by the restrictions imposed against them on trumped up charges.

=09

NLD General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave the ultimatum to the
ruling generals to fulfill the obligations of the 1990 elections and to
convene the Parliament by August 21, 1998.=20


Backgrounder


July 7, 1998: A car carrying the National League for Democracy (NLD)
leaders, Chairman U Aung Shwe and General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
has been stopped on the way by the police and security personnel between
Hmawbi and Taikkyi, about one and a half hours drive from Rangoon.=20
Police said that NLD leaders are not allowed to travel out of the Rangoon
area and that they must turn back.  The NLD leaders have refused to do so
on the grounds that they have "the right to travel under the law."


The NLD leaders left for Taikkyi early on the morning of July 7, 1998 to
meet the elected representatives of Taikkyi Township, who have also been
restricted from traveling outside their township limits and are required
to appear before police twice daily.


Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said that she and her colleagues will remain at
the blockade until the authorities allow them to continue their=20
journey.


As of midnight July 7, 1998, Rangoon time, the car was still at the road
blockade.=20


June 29, 1998: The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper carries
threat to take legal action against Aung San Suu Kyi and the National
League for Democracy, implying that they would be jailed for up to twenty
years for causing people to "misunderstand" the regime.  The article also
warned that Aung San Suu Kyi could become another Ngo Dinh Diem, a former
President of South Vietnam, who was murdered at the direction of army
generals in 1963.


June 27-28:  Military intelligence agents begin arresting NLD members of
parliament across Burma. MPs who do not sign pledges restricting their
movements are jailed.


Restraining Orders:  Elected NLD Representatives-- Mandalay Division:
Military authorities in Mandalay Division have been using the Habitual
Offenders Restriction Act to restrict the activities of NLD elected
representatives in the division. A restraining order has been issued
against all MPs who are required to stay within their respective
municipalities for a year.  They have to report to the local police
stations twice a day. Ward authorities have been ordered to visit the
home of a representative who reported sick to check if the claim is true
and to get a signed record from the representative. Those refusing to
comply with the restraining order are told they will be jailed.


Magwe Division: June 27, 1998-- NLD Elected Representatives: Mindon
police arrested and charged elected representative of Mindon Constituency
U Tun Win (50  years, son of U Oo Tha).  Charges against him were filed
under the Habitual Offenders Restriction Act (5/1/ Sa/Hsa)  and a Police
Case No. (Pa) 98/98 was filed against him.=20

 =20

Elected representatives Dr. Kyi Min (41 years, son of  U Hla Maung) of
Pakokku Constituency (1) and U Hlaing Aye (56 years,  son of U Ohn Maung)
from Pakokku Constituency (2) were charged under the Criminal Code as
Cases No. (43/98) and (42/98), respectively,  at the Pakokku Township
Court.=20

U Myint Aung (40 years old, son of U Sein Maung), Myaing Constituency
(2), was charged at the Myaing Township Court under the Criminal Code.=20
His case file is No. (38/98).  All the elected representatives are
required to stay within the township limits for a year and to report
twice daily in person at the local police stations.=20


June 28, 1998: U Kyaw Myint (50 years, son of U Sein) of Magwe
Constituency (1) and U Aung Soe (66 years,  son of U Tint), Magwe
Constituency (2) were sent to the Magwe Township Court and charged under
the Criminal Code.  Case numbers are (81/98) and (82/98), respectively. U
Thein Kyi (47 years, son of  U Aung Myint), Taungdwingyi Constituency (1)
and U Than Naing (47 years,  son of U Thein Maung), Taungdwingyi
Constituency (2) were charged at the Taungdwingyi Township Court under
the Criminal Code.  Case No. (83/98) and (84/98), respectively.  Case No.
(93/98) was filed at the Chauk Township Court under the Criminal Code
against U Myint Thein (55 years, son of U Oo Ye) of Chauk Constituency
(1). U Aung Myint Thein (son of  U Ne Aung), Natmauk Constituency (2) and
U Bo Htwe (70 years,  son of U Pho Aung), Natmauk Constituency (1) were
taken before the Natmauk  Township Court and charged under the Criminal
Code -- Cases No. (45/98) and (46/98), respectively. U Tha Aung (44
years, son of U=20

Aung Thaung), Myothit Constituency (1) was sent to the Myothit Township
Court and charged under the Criminal Code.  Case file No. (58/98).  U
Aung San Myint (50 years, son of U Hla Maung), Myaing Constituency (1)
was charged in the Myaing Township Court under the Criminal Code.  Case
file No. (39/98). U Aung Naing Oo (48 years, son of U Ba Tin), Pauk
Constituency (2) was charged under the Criminal Code at the Pauk Township
Court. Case No. (27/98).


U Tar (49 years, son of U Aye Maung), Salin Constituency (1) was arrested
by police and action was taken under the Habitual Offenders Restriction
Act ( 5/1/sa/hsa).  Police Case No. (Pa) 173/98.=20

=20

NLD Officials -- U Khin Win (46 years, son of U Aung Gyi), Chairman of
the Yenangyaung Township NLD Organizing Committee, and Vice Chairman U
Hla Myint (37 years, son of U Pauk Toe) were arrested by the Yenangyaung
police. Police Cases No. (Pa) 234/98 and (Pa) 244/98 were opened and
charges filed under the Habitual Offenders Restriction Act (=20
5/1/sa/hsa)


All the elected representatives and officials are required to stay within
their township limits for a year and to report twice daily in person at
the local police stations.=20


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