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NEWS - Burma's generals challenge o



Burma's generals challenge opposition - BBC

           Burmese pro-democracy activists continue their struggle in
exile 

           The military government in Burma has accused the
           opposition National League for Democracy of trying to
           provoke it into harsh measures by setting up a
           committee to act on behalf of parliament. 


                     The formation of the committee and
                     the NLD's declaration that all laws
                     passed during 10 years of military rule
                     have no legal basis, has prompted a
                     sardonic response from the
           authorities in Rangoon. 

           A government statement said the committee's formation
           had been noted with interest, and challenged the NLD to
           demonstrate its ability to govern the country. 


                          The statement added that
                          while the NLD committee
                          puzzled over such issues,
                          the current government would
                          continue to shoulder the real
                          responsibilities of governing
                          the country. 

                          The BBC South-East Asia
                          Correspondent, Simon
                          Ingram, says the
                          government's cool reaction
                          may be a sign of its
                          confidence that, with more
                          than 800 opposition
           members currently in detention, the formation of the
           committee is an act of political symbolism rather than
           substance. 

UN criticism 

           In part it also reflects a determination not to be provoked
           into harsher measures in advance of the forthcoming UN
           General Assembly meeting, where strong criticism of
           Burma's military government is in any case a certainty. 

           The man named as parliamentary chairman, Saw Mra
           Aung, is already in custody, while another committee
           member, the NLD leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is under
           effective house arrest. 

           The government's statement came on the tenth
           anniversary of the coup which confirmed the military's
           hold on power in Burma. 

Election victory 


                          Although the NLD scored an
                          overwhelming victory in a
                          general election held in 1990,
                          the military authorities
                          annulled the ballot and have
                          refused to recognise their
                          claim as the legitmate
                          government of Burma. 

                          As the symbolic tenth
                          anniversary of the bloody
                          crackdown on pro-democracy
                          demonstrators passes, there
                          is mounting speculation that
           the NLD will shortly announce the formation of a
           provisional government. 

           Such a move will probably attract support in the West,
           but is unlikely to make much impact on a regime which
           seems as little inclined as ever to surrender its grip on
           power.