Reuters-Veteran Myanmar politician (r)

[enmasse_1@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Re: Reuters-Veteran Myanmar politician calls for dialogue
=========================================================


>Bohmu Aung was a member of the legendary ``Thirty Comrades'' group >out 
of which grew modern Myanmar's armed forces. He is one of five 
>surviving members of the group, which was founded by Myanmar 
>independence hero General Aung San -- father of Aung San Suu Kyi -- >to 
fight British colonial forces. 

>He was also chairman of the People's Parliament in the democracy era
>between January 1948, when Myanmar received independence from >Britain, 
and March 1962, when the military seized power in a coup. 
>


Comments:
=========

Not only was he the chairman of the People's Parliament when Ne Win 
seized power in a military coup in 1962, he was the Minister for 
Defence. He is considered the second most responsible person after U Nu 
for allowing Ne Win rose to his power in 1962. "Undermining Ne Win's 
political interests and allowing themselves to be taken in by Ne Win's 
sweet-talk was their big mistake of all times". He should have been more 
careful about Ne Win and send Ne Win straightaway as an Ambassador to 
Indonesia when asked for the post in 1962. "A mistake we all are still 
paying for it until today".

The question is, do we still need to wonder what Ne Win is like after he 
has been found manipulating the country's politics for more than 36 
years or so?  

No. I have given up hope as far as Ne Win is concerned since he failed 
to come out of the hiding and help solve the problems he created at this 
critical juncture. So, let's say, enough is enough. It's time we learn 
our lessons now.

Minn Kyaw Minn
==============



>From notes@xxxxxxx Mon Sep 14 10:50:54 1998
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>Date: 14 Sep 1998 10:21:08
>Reply-To: Conference "reg.burma" <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>From: hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Re: Reuters-Veteran Myanmar politician calls for dialogue
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>
>Veteran Myanmar politician calls for urgent talks 
>08:27 a.m. Sep 14, 1998 Eastern 
>
>YANGON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Veteran Myanmar politician Bohmu Aung 
called on
>Monday for urgent and unconditional talks between the military 
government
>and the opposition led by Aung Suu Kyi to stop the country's political
>climate from worsening. 
>
>
>
>``At present, political tension in Myanmar is increasing as a result of 
the
>detention of...representatives of the national races, National League 
for
>Democracy (NLD) and political forces who were elected in the 1990 
general
>elections,'' the retired octogenarian said in a statement released 
directly
>to media. 
>
>
>
>Myanmar's military rulers have detained more than 700 NLD members since
>late May, including 194 elected representatives, according to the NLD. 
>
>
>
>The detentions were provoked by the NLD's called for the convening of a
>``People's Parliament'' of candidates elected in the May 1990 general
>election which the party swept, a victory ignored by the military. 
>
>
>
>The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has warned the 
NLD
>not to convene the parliament and has acknowledged detaining party 
members
>to block the plan. But it has not said how many had been detained. 
>
>
>
>Bohmu Aung was a member of the legendary ``Thirty Comrades'' group out 
of
>which grew modern Myanmar's armed forces. He is one of five surviving
>members of the group, which was founded by Myanmar independence hero
>General Aung San -- father of Aung San Suu Kyi -- to fight British 
colonial
>forces. 
>
>
>
>He was also chairman of the People's Parliament in the democracy era
>between January 1948, when Myanmar received independence from Britain, 
and
>March 1962, when the military seized power in a coup. 
>
>
>
>``Political problems cannot be resolved by merely doing such 
detaining,''
>he said, adding that the opposition and military needed to hold urgent
>talks to reach a compromise. 
>
>
>
>The talks must be held without any preconditions, both parties should 
be
>free to choose their own representatives for the talks and the 
discussions
>should be held first at a preliminary level and later at a summit 
level, he
>said. 
>
>
>
>The SPDC and the NLD have not engaged in a genuine dialogue on their
>political divisions because the military has refused to acknowledge Suu
>Kyi's presence in any talks. The NLD insists on the inclusion of Suu 
Kyi,
>winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to restore 
democracy
>to the country. 
>
>
>
>Suu Kyi and the military have been at political loggerheads ever since 
she
>was released from six years of house arrest in mid-1995. The government 
has
>curbed her political activities and she has complained that the 
military is
>abusing human rights and clipping her party's wings. 
>
>
>
>On Monday, state-run Myanmar media continued to rail against Suu Kyi,
>urging the government to take decisive action against her. 
>
>
>
>``It is high time for the government to take decisive action against 
Aung
>San Suu Kyi and her associates,'' said a commentary in Myanmar-language
>newspapers by a writer who described herself as a teacher. 
>
>
>
>The article tried to link Suu Kyi to recent student protests over
>university exam regulations and procedures. 
>
>
>
>The media, widely seen as the military's mouthpiece, on Sunday warned 
NLD
>deputy president U Tin Oo, a close associate of Suu Kyi, that he faces
>possible arrest for anti-government activities and instigating 
divisions in
>the military. 
>
>
>
>But one diplomat said such suggestions, often put forward by more 
hardline
>elements in the military, were not always acted upon. 
>
>
>
>``Don't take that to be serious, I don't think the government will take
>action as suggested by the commentator,'' the diplomat said. 
>
>
>
>Last week, the SPDC distanced itself from a suggestion in the media 
that
>Suu Kyi be deported for her opposition activities after the article
>provoked a protest from the United States. 
>
>
>
>
>
>


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