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VOA-BURMA-POLITICS
Voice of America
DATE=8/13/98
BURMA-POLITICS
GARY THOMAS
BANGKOK
INTRO: BURMA'S LEADING DEMOCRACY ADVOCATE, AUNG SAN SUU KYI,
REMAINS LOCKED IN ANOTHER STANDOFF WITH THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT.
AUTHORITIES HAVE AGAIN STOPPED HER FROM TRAVELLING OUTSIDE
RANGOON TO MEET WITH LOCAL LEADERS OF HER PARTY AND SHE HAS
REFUSED TO TURN BACK TO RANGOON. CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS
REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT: AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS LOCKED IN ANOTHER CONFRONTATION WITH
THE RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT ON A COUNTRY ROAD OUTSIDE THE
CAPITAL.
THE PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER, ALONG WITH AN AIDE AND TWO DRIVERS,
SPENT HER SECOND DAY IN A VAN NEAR ANYARSU, ABOUT 32-KILOMETERS
FROM RANGOON.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID SHE HAS KEPT THE VAN WINDOWS ROLLED
UP AND HAS NOT SPOKEN TO ANYONE. HE SAID A MEDICAL TEAM IS ON
STANDBY IF NEEDED AND SECURITY PERSONNEL ARE AT HAND IN CASE HER
PARTY DECIDES TO CONTINUE ITS ROADSIDE VIGIL.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S VAN WAS STOPPED WHEN SHE TRIED TO DRIVE TO
VISIT PARTY LEADERS IN BASSEIN, ABOUT 100-KILOMETERS AWAY. THE
GOVERNMENT SAYS SHE CAN NOT GO FURTHER BECAUSE OF UNSPECIFIED --
SECURITY CONDITIONS.
IT IS THE SAME PLACE SHE HAD ANOTHER STANDOFF WITH THE GOVERNMENT
LAST MONTH. SHE STAYED IN HER CAR FOR SIX DAYS AND REFUSED TO
TURN BACK TO RANGOON AFTER AUTHORITIES WOULD NOT LET HER PROCEED.
THAT CONFRONTATION ENDED WHEN SECURITY POLICE RESTRAINED HER AND
FORCIBLY TOOK HER BACK TO RANGOON.
THIS TIME SHE IS APPARENTLY PREPARED FOR A LONG STANDOFF. THE
LAST TIME SHE WAS IN A CAR. THIS TIME, SHE IS IN A VAN AND PARTY
SOURCES SAY IT IS STOCKPILED WITH FOOD AND WATER.
THIS COLLISION OCCURS AT A TIME WHEN POLITICAL TENSIONS ARE
ALREADY RISING IN BURMA. AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S PARTY, THE NATIONAL
LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY, HAS DEMANDED THE PARLIAMENT THAT WAS
ELECTED IN 1990, BUT NEVER ALLOWED TO TAKE OFFICE BE CONVENED BY
AUGUST 21ST. THEY HAVE WARNED OF UNSPECIFIED CONSEQUENCES IF THE
GOVERNMENT DOES NOT MEET THE DEMAND.
MEANWHILE, CONSULAR OFFICIALS FROM SIX COUNTRIES WERE AGAIN
ALLOWED TO SEE THE 18 FOREIGN POLITICAL ACTIVISTS DETAINED SUNDAY
FOR HANDING OUT PRO-DEMOCRACY LEAFLETS. A MILITARY GOVERNMENT
SPOKESMAN SAYS ALL 18 HAVE BEEN MOVED TO A POLICE STATION, AND
ONLY A FEW OF THE DETAINEES ARE BEING, AS THE SPOKESMAN PUT IT,
UNCOOPERATIVE.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACCUSED THE ACTIVISTS OF INCITING UNREST, BUT
HAVE NOT SAID IF THEY WILL BE FORMALLY CHARGED AND PUT ON TRIAL.
U-S CONGRESSMAN CHRIS SMITH, WHO HAS A CONSTITUENT AMONG THE
DETAINEES, LEFT THE UNITED STATES FOR BANGKOK. HE SAID HE IS
GOING TO TRY TO GET INTO BURMA TO SECURE THE DETAINEES' RELEASE.
BUT BURMESE AUTHORITIES HAVE INDICATED HE WILL NOT BE GRANTED A
VISA. A STATEMENT POINTS OUT BURMA HAS SUSPENDED VISAS FOR U-S
OFFICIALS IN RETALIATION FOR A SIMILAR U-S BAN AGAINST BURMESE
OFFICIALS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT CLINTON IN 1996.
ONE U-S CONGRESSMAN, DANA ROHRABACHER, WAS GRANTED A VISA TO
BURMA EARLIER THIS YEAR. (SIGNED)