Recovering Myanmar opposition leade

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Recovering Myanmar opposition leader says party will defy government ÿ


                             The Associated Press
                           08/30/98 6:05 PM Eastern

              YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Recovering from a 13-day
              roadside standoff with the military regime, opposition leadÿ
er
              Aung San Suu Kyi told 500 supporters at her home that her
              party would defy the government and convene parliament. ÿ


              The government has warned the party, the National League foÿ
r
              Democracy, that attempting to convene the parliament would ÿ
be
              illegal and result in long prison terms and the party beingÿ

              banned. The party won 392 of the 485 seats at stake in 1990ÿ

              elections but was never allowed to take power. ÿ


              Tin Oo, an NLD vice chairman, said Sunday that Suu Kyi
              received about 500 people Saturday evening at her lakeside
              compound, where she has been recovering from low blood
              pressure and other ailments since ending her standoff a weeÿ
k
              ago. ÿ


              "Aung San Suu Kyi has told her party members that the NLD
              will convene a parliament by itself," Tin Oo said. "She appÿ
ealed
              to NLD members to support and help realize the convening ofÿ

              the parliament." ÿ


              Suu Kyi, 53, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, spent 13ÿ

              days parked in a van on a bridge outside Yangon after
              authorities stopped her for the fourth time from traveling ÿ
to
meet
              supporters. ÿ


              The military has ruled Myanmar, also known as Burma, since
              1962. ÿ


              The ruling State Peace and Development Council rejected an
              Aug. 21 deadline set by the NLD to call the parliament. Theÿ

              party has said it will do so unilaterally, though Suu Kyi hÿ
as
given
              no clear date. ÿ


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