VOA : BURMA UPRISING ANNIVERSARY-JE

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Voice of America
DATE=8/7/98

BURMA UPRISING ANNIVERSARY
JEANNE HALLACY(BANGKOK)


INTRO:  SATURDAY (AUGUST 8) IS THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
BURMESE MILITARY GOVERNMENT'S BLOODY CRACKDOWN ON STUDENT 
PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATIONS.  THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED OR
INJURED AND MANY STUDENTS FLED THE COUNTRY.    JEANNE HALLACY IN 
BANGKOK RECENTLY VISITED A REFUGEE CAMP ON THE THAI-BURMESE 
BORDER AND FOUND THE INCIDENT STILL EVOKES STRONG MEMORIES.

TEXT:      // MUSIC UP:  MUN AWNG: "A LIFE" //

IN A REMOTE CAMP ALONG THE THAI-BURMESE BORDER, HUNDREDS OF 
REFUGEE CHILDREN GATHER AROUND MUN AWNG AS HE SINGS FROM HIS 
LATEST ALBUM, "PATH TO FREEDOM."  THESE CHILDREN ARE A GENERATION
REMOVED FROM THE 1988 STUDENT UPRISING IN BURMA THAT MUN AWNG IS 
SINGING ABOUT:

                     /// MUN AWNG ACT ///

         I'M DESPERATE TO HAVE FREEDOM IN MY COUNTRY.  I WOULD DO
         WHATEVER I CAN.  AS A SOLDIER OR SINGER OR WHATEVER.  I 
         WOULD DO WHATEVER I CAN FOR THIS STRUGGLE

                     /// END ACT ///

            (SOUND UP:  1988 UPRISING -- STREET DEMOS, FADE 
            UNDER)

MUN AWNG WAS PART OF THE 1988 UPRISING FOR DEMOCRACY IN BURMA -- 
DEMANDING AN END TO MILITARY DICTATORSHIP.  GOVERNMENT TROOPS 
ATTACKED THE UNARMED DEMONSTRATORS.  THOUSANDS, AMONG THEM 
STUDENTS AND BUDDHIST MONKS, WERE KILLED, INJURED OR IMPRISONED 
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

MUN AWNG JOINED A WAVE OF BURMESE STUDENTS WHO FLED TO THE JUNGLE
BORDER WITH THAILAND.

IN THE 10 YEARS SINCE THE BURMESE STUDENTS BEGAN THEIR FIGHT FOR 
DEMOCRACY, CIVIL WAR, MALARIA AND FATIGUE REDUCED THEIR NUMBERS 
IN THAILAND.  BUT SOME REMAINED TO CONTINUE THE UNFINISHED 
MOVEMENT FOR POLITICAL CHANGE.  

/// OPT /// AMONG THEM IS ALL BURMA STUDENT DEMOCRATIC FRONT 
MEMBER AUNG MYO.  HE SAYS THE VIOLENCE OF 1988 LINGERS IN THE 
MINDS OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE AND THEIR TOLERANCE OF LIFE UNDER THE
MILITARY GOVERNMENT -- WHICH WAS UNTIL RECENTLY KNOWN AS THE 
SLORC -- IS RUNNING OUT.

                              /// MYO ACTUALITY ///

         PEOPLE THINK THEY CAN NO LONGER TAKE ANY MORE TIME UNDER
         THE HANDS OF THE SLORC.  THEY MIGHT PREFER TO DIE RATHER
         THAN DYING IN THE HANDS OF THE SLORC SILENTLY.  BECAUSE 
         YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINION, NO RIGHT TO 
         SAY SOMETHING, WHAT YOU BELIEVE.  AND NO RIGHT TO 
         PARTICIPATE IN ANY DEMONSTRATION.  THIS IS ALSO DYING. 
         YOU HAVE NO LIFE AT ALL LIKE A HUMAN BEING.  SO, MANY 
         PEOPLE WILL STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHT RATHER 
         THAN TO BE AFRAID OF THE BRUTAL SUPPRESSION.  SO I THINK
         PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT HAPPENED.  THE BLOODSHED 
         ON THE STREET HAS NOT DRIED YET.  /// END OPT ///

                        /// END ACT ///

THE ARMED RESISTANCE WAGED BY STUDENTS AND ETHNIC GROUPS AT THE 
BURMESE BORDER HAS ALL BUT STOPPED.  BURMA'S MILITARY HAS CRUSHED
ARMED RESISTANCE OR SIGNED CEASEFIRE AGREEMENTS WITH MOST ETHNIC 
ARMIES. 

THE FOCUS OF THE OPPOSITION IN BURMA IS NOW CONCENTRATED ON 
NON-VIOLENCE -- AND AT IS THE CENTER IS NOBEL LAUREATE AND 
NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI.

 // SOUND UP:  NLD SUPPORTERS AT A RALLY, IN FULL THEN UNDER //

SINCE HER RELEASE FROM HOUSE ARREST IN 1995, AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAS
CALLED FOR A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, HER PARTY, THE 
N-L-D, AND LEADERS OF ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS.  IN RECENT WEEKS,  
SHE DEFIED THE MILITARY, IN A BID TO PRESSURE THE GENERALS TO SIT
DOWN AND TALK, AND WON STRONG INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT.

IN A RECENTLY RELEASED ADDRESS TO MARK THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF
PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTS, SHE REPEATED THE CALL FOR A POLITICAL 
SETTLEMENT THROUGH TALKS:

                     /// AUNG SAN SUU KYI ACTUALITY ///

         I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE A DISPLAY OF STRENGTH BY THE 
         GOVERNMENT, TO SHOW THEY HAVE STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO DO
         WHAT IS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY.  WE WANT DIALOGUE BECAUSE 
         WE WANT TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT IS BEST FOR EVERYBODY.  
         WE DO NOT WANT REVENGE, WE DO NOT THINK THERE IS 
         ANYTHING PARTICULARLY HONORABLE OR ADMIRABLE ABOUT 
         SEEKING REVENGE.  WE WANT TO FIND A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT.

                              /// END ACT ///

/// OPT /// THE OPPOSITION LEADER HAS DEMANDED THAT THE 
PARLIAMENT, ELECTED IN 1990, BUT WHICH THE MILITARY HAS NEVER 
ALLOWED TO TAKE OFFICE, BE CONVENED BY AUGUST 21ST OF THIS YEAR. 

LEADERS OF THE BURMESE OPPOSITION SAY THE TIME FOR POLITICAL 
CHANGE IS RIPE.  BURMA'S ECONOMIC SITUATION IS DETERIORATING AND 
THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT'S ADMISSION INTO THE ASSOCIATION OF 
SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS HAS NOT OFFSET THE INCREASING 
INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM OF ITS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD.

SECRETARY OF STATE MADELINE ALBRIGHT CONDEMNED THE GOVERNMENT'S 
RESTRICTIONS ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S  MOVEMENTS AND HAS REQUESTED 
THE DIRECT INTERVENTION OF U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN. /// 
END ACT ///

BURMESE AUTHORITIES HAVE TIGHTENED THEIR SECURITY IN THE CAPITAL,
RANGOON.  THE GOVERNMENT HAS ARRESTED MORE THAN 100 N-L-D 
SUPPORTERS THIS YEAR.  OPPOSITION SOURCES IN BANGKOK SAY SPORADIC
ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN IN RECENT WEEKS
AND SAY THAT MORE ACTS OF POLITICAL DEFIANCE ARE PLANNED FOR THE 
COMING MONTHS.

DONNA GUEST, OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, HAS
BEEN MONITORING THE SITUATION IN BURMA FOR NEARLY A DECADE:

                           /// GUEST ACTUALITY ///

         I THINK THE MILITARY IS NOT WINNING ANYMORE.  IT HAS RUN
         OUT OF SOLUTIONS AND PERHAPS NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE 
         MILITARY TO TURN TO THE RESOURCES IN BURMA.  AND THE 
         GREATEST RESOURCE BURMA HAS IS ITS PEOPLE.

                              /// END ACT ///

               (MUSIC UP -- MUN AWNG:  "PATH TO FREEDOM", FADE 
               UNDER)

IT IS A TIME OF REFLECTION FOR BURMESE STUDENTS AS THEY LOOK BACK
ON THE PAST DECADE -- SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES THEIR 
HOMELAND -- MANY OF THEM HAVE WITNESSED SORROWS BEYOND THEIR 
YEARS.  IT IS ALSO A TIME TO LOOK FORWARD, TO THE CHANGE THEY 
FEEL IS COMING TO BURMA.

MUN AWNG HOPES THAT THE REFUGEE CHILDREN WITH WHOM HE SHARES HIS 
SONGS WILL SOON RETURN TO THE HOMES SOME OF THEM HAVE NEVER KNOWN

                  /// MUN AWNG ACT //

         I DON'T WANT TO HAND OVER THIS STRUGGLE TO THE NEXT 
         GENERATION.  IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, MANY YEARS MANY 
         LIVES.  I THINK THE TIME IS COMING AND THE WORLD IS 
         CHANGING, SITUATIONS ARE CHANGING.  I THINK WE ARE STILL
         STRONG ENOUGH TO GET WHAT WE WANTED, WHICH IS FREEDOM.

                              /// END ACT ///

MUN AWNG DREAMS OF SINGING AT A CONCERT FOR PEACE WHEN HE GOES 
HOME, AT TWILIGHT, BENEATH THE GOLDEN SHWEDAGON PAGODA IN 
RANGOON.  BUT NO ONE WILL HAVE TO BUY TICKETS, HE SAYS, ADDING 
THE BURMESE PEOPLE DESERVE A CHANCE FOR A TIME WHEN EVERYTHING IS
FREE. (SIGNED) 

NEB/JH/FC/RRM



  

07-Aug-98 12:48 PM EDT (1648 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
 .