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BURMANET: RANGOON ARRESTS UPDATE



BURMANET: RANGOON ARRESTS UPDATE---
August 12, 1998


US REP. CHRIS SMITH GOING FLYING TO BURMA TO SEEK RELEASE

U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith, (R) of New Jersey is said to be departing for
Rangoon today to take up the case of the six Americans arrested in Burma.
New Jersey is home to one of the six, Michelle Keegan, an American
University student.


MOST OF THE 18 WERE ARRESTED BY U.S.D.A. MEMBERS

BurmaNet has a credible report that most of the demonstrators were arrested
by members of the regime's Union Solidarity and Development Association
(U.S.D.A.) rather than uniformed police.  Of the 18, six were arrested at
the airport and the others captured mostly by U.S.D.A. members.  The
U.S.D.A. is a mass organization set up by the regime to serve as its
political base.  It is patterned on the Golkar organization used in
Indonesia by now deposed-President Suharto.  In its public statements, the
regime has been citing the apprehension of the team by average citizens as
evidence of its popular support.


REGIME TOLD 6 AMERICANS THAT U.S. EMBASSY NOT INTERESTED IN THEIR CASE WHILE
BLOCKING U.S.
ACCESS

According to the same source, the regime told the six Americans who were
arrested that the U.S. embassy was not interested in their case and had
abandoned them.  At the same time, embassy officials were being blocked from
access to the six.


MALAYSIAN GOVT TELLS FAMILIES NOT TO BOTHER THEM

The Malaysian embassy in Rangoon has told the families of the Malaysians
arrested that their family members broke local laws and that they would have
to take their punishment.  Malaysia has been one of the military
government's strongest supporters and recently fought against a move in
A.S.E.A.N. to break with the group's policy of not criticizing fellow
members.