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VOA : BURMA-TENSIONS (r)



Voice of America
DATE=7/31/98
BURMA-TENSIONS
STEPHANIE MANN
WASHINGTON


INTRO:  THIS PAST WEEK'S STANDOFF BETWEEN BURMESE AUTHORITIES AND
OPPOSITION LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI ON A ROAD OUTSIDE RANGOON MAY 
HAVE ENDED, BUT TENSIONS ARE REPORTED STILL HIGH.  V-O-A'S 
STEPHANIE MANN LOOKS AT THE CURRENT SITUATION IN THE CONTEXT OF 
THE UPCOMING ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1988 BLOODY CRACKDOWN.  

TEXT:   FOR MUCH OF THE PAST WEEK, BURMESE MILITARY AUTHORITIES 
AND LEADING OPPOSITION FIGURE AUNG SAN SUU KYI WERE ENGAGED IN A 
STANDOFF AT A ROADBLOCK OUTSIDE RANGOON.  SHE WANTED TO VISIT 
POLITICAL SUPPORTERS IN OUTLYING PROVINCES, AND THE GOVERNMENT 
WANTED HER TO RETURN HOME. 

THE DIRECTOR OF ASIAN STUDIES AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, DAVID 
STEINBERG, SAYS BOTH SIDES HAD REASONS FOR THEIR ACTIONS.  HE 
SAYS AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS WORKING FOR WHAT SHE REGARDS AS 
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES AND HAS A CLEAR IDEA OF HER POTENTIAL ROLE,
BASED ON HER FATHER'S ROLE AS THE FOUNDER OF INDEPENDENT BURMA.  
PROFESSOR STEINBERG SAYS AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAS DOING SOMETHING 
THAT SHE KNEW WOULD PUT HER IN THE LIMELIGHT.

                    // STEINBERG ACT ONE // 

         AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND THE (REST OF THE) OPPOSITION HAVE 
         BEEN INTENTIONALLY MARGINALIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT OVER 
         THE YEARS SINCE THE ELECTION OF 1990.  SHE HAS TRIED TO 
         STOP THAT MARGINALIZATION BY FIRST DECLARING THAT HER 
         OPPOSITION GROUP WHICH WON THE ELECTIONS SHOULD BE 
         SEATED BY AUGUST 21ST OF THIS YEAR.  THE GOVERNMENT 
         CERTAINLY WILL  NOT  AGREE TO THAT.  SO, SHE HAS TRIED 
         TO GET ATTENTION AND TO ELICIT GOVERNMENT RESPONSE BY 
         INTENTIONALLY GOING OUT AND SEEKING TO ORGANIZE HER 
         CONSTITUENTS IN OTHER CITIES OUTSIDE RANGOON. 

                         // END ACT // 

PROFESSOR STEINBERG SAYS THE GOVERNMENT -- FROM ITS PERSPECTIVE 
-- CANNOT ALLOW AUNG SAN SUU KYI TO CONTINUE HER EFFORTS TO GET 
ATTENTION AND SYMPATHY.  SO, HE SAYS, AUTHORITIES HAVE FORCIBLY 
TRIED TO STOP HER.  

THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW WAS EXPRESSED IN A LETTER FROM 
BURMA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, TIN WINN, TO THE 
WASHINGTON POST NEWSPAPER DURING THE STANDOFF.  AMBASSADOR TIN 
WINN WROTE AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAS BEEN ACTING LIKE A PRIMA DONNA, 
CHALLENGING THE GOVERNMENT AT EVERY TURN.  HIS LETTER SAYS THE 
GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS IT IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH A MODERN 
DISCIPLINED NATION, ADDING THAT THE WELFARE OF THE NATION MUST BE
GIVEN PRECEDENCE OVER THE WELFARE OF INDIVIDUALS. 

PROFESSOR DAVID STEINBERG ALSO SAYS THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT IS 
ESPECIALLY CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE UNREST DURING THE UPCOMING 
TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MILITARY CRACKDOWN ON PRO-DEMOCRACY  
DEMONSTRATIONS.

                     // STEINBERG ACT TWO //

         AUGUST 8TH, 1988, WAS THE ORIGINAL DATE.  SO, EARLY 
         AUGUST WILL BE A TIME WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ON A 
         SPECIAL ALERT, AND THEY WANT TO PREVENT ANY OUTBREAK.  I
         THINK THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 
         INDONESIA.  I WAS IN RANGOON WHEN THIS HAPPENED, WHEN 
         (FORMER PRESIDENT) SUHARTO STEPPED DOWN.  AND I THINK 
         THAT THERE IS A CONCERN THERE THAT THE SAME THING COULD 
         HAPPEN IN BURMA, AND I THINK THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE EVEN
         HARSHER THAN THE INDONESIANS IN TRYING TO PREVENT ANY 
         OUTBREAK OF DEMONSTRATIONS. 

                         // END ACT // 

MR. STEINBERG SAYS THE PEOPLE OF RANGOON REMEMBER WELL THE BLOODY
CRACKDOWN IN 1988, WHICH LEFT AT LEAST TWO THOUSAND KILLED AND 
MANY MORE INJURED.  SO, HE SAYS, THEY ARE NOT LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN
VIOLENT PROTESTS AT THIS TIME.  NONETHELESS, HE SAYS, THE 
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IS TAKING  NO  CHANCES.  FOREIGN NEWS REPORTS
FROM BURMA SAY EXTRA SECURITY FORCES HAVE BEEN STATIONED IN THE 
STREETS OF RANGOON. 

THE UNITED STATES AND AUSTRALIA HAVE ASKED THE UNITED NATIONS TO 
INTERVENE TO TRY TO EASE THE ESCALATING TENSIONS IN BURMA.   
SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN HAS ASKED THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT TO 
ALLOW A SPECIAL U-N ENVOY TO VISIT.  

PROFESSOR STEINBERG, HOWEVER, DOES  NOT  SEE MUCH HOPE FOR U-N 
INTERVENTION AT THIS TIME.

                   // STEINBERG ACT THREE // 

         THE UNITED NATIONS HAS ATTEMPTED TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE 
         PAST.  THERE HAVE BEEN INDIVIDUALS SENT BY THE UNITED 
         NATIONS TO BURMA WITHOUT SUCCESS.  THERE IS A SPECIAL 
         RAPPORTEUR WHO HAS NOT EVEN BEEN ALLOWED ENTRY INTO THE 
         COUNTRY.  SO, RIGHT NOW, THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT 
         LOOK LIKE AN EFFECTIVE AVENUE FOR DIALOGUE WITH THE 
         GOVERNMENT.

                         // END ACT // 

MR. STEINBERG SAYS SINCE BURMA WAS ADMITTED TO THE ASSOCIATION OF
SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS LAST YEAR, IT MAY BE MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR 
ELEMENTS WITHIN ASEAN TO TRY TO WORK WITH BURMA TO DEFUSE 
TENSIONS.  (SIGNED)

NEB/SMN/KL 

31-Jul-98 1:21 PM EDT (1721 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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