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The Nation-Myanmar junta confirms A



The Nation
Myanmar junta confirms Aung San Suu Kyi blocked from leaving Yangon
posted at 21:20 hrs (Bangkok time) 

YANGON, Aug 12 -- Myanmar's junta Wednesday confirmed it had blocked
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from travelling to meet supporters
outside the capital, saying the measure was for her own safety. 

Accompanied by an official of her National League for Democracy and two
drivers, she had tried to enter Ayarwaddy province ''without proper
security arrangements,'' a junta statement said. 

''The government of Myanmar regrets that security conditions in Ayarwaddy
division make it unsafe for Ms. Suu Kyi to travel there at this time, but
the government encourages Ms. Suu Kyi to return home and continue her
political activities in a more secure environment in Yangon,'' it said. 

''However, she and her companions remain free to return to their homes at
any time, or to continue staying by the roadside as long as the conditions
remain safe.'' 

A western diplomat said Aung San Suu Kyi was some 25 kilometres (15 miles)
outside the Myanmar capital, adding: ''The latest information we have is
that she is in roughly the same place as last time.'' 

They were referring to a six-day stand-off which began when officials
blocked the Nobel peace laureate from travelling outside Yangon last month.


''But this time she is in a mini-bus,'' the diplomat said. 

In the last incident, the National League for Democracy (NLD) leader spent
six days in her sedan on the side of a rural highway blocked from
travelling to the provincial centre of Bassein (Eds: correct) before being
forcibly driven back to Yangon. 

That was her third failed attempt in three weeks to leave the capital and
she later pledged to try again to meet with supporters in the provinces. 

Suffering from dehydration and fatigue, Aung San Suu Kyi vowed to try again
as soon as her health returned. (AFP)