NLD Statement 83 in English

[nldburma@xxxxxxxxxxx]

National League for Democracy
No: (97/b) West Shwegondine Road
Bahan, Rangoon

STATEMENT 83 (10/98)

Extracts from the Chairman of the National League for Democracy's letter 
dated 29 September 1998 to the Chairman of the State Peace and 
Development Council on the subject of " Illegal arrests and 
imprisonment, intimidation and determent are reproduced for information 
of the members.

1. x     x   x    x

2. x   x       x    x

3. The above arrests amount to excessive misuse of power. Sections under 
which some arrests have been made are entirely inapplicable while others 
have been arrested and  detained under no provision of law. Such arrests 
are blatantly illegal. It should be remembered that rust destroys iron 
and power destroys humans.

4. The members of the National League for democracy are voluntarily 
participating in a political activity from convictions and beliefs of 
their own at personal costs and without any hope for any personal gains. 
Articles 19 and 20 of the Declaration of Human Rights to which Burma is 
a signatory are being completely ignored by the authorities.

5. x   x   x   x   x
   (a) x   x   x   x   x
   (b) x   x   x   x    x
   (c) x   x    x    x    x
   (d)  (1) x   x   x     x     x 
          (2) At time of arrest, the answer given by the arresting 
persons to the question of warrants, is that " warrants are not 
necessary because the arrests were not opium related affiances".

	(3) If arrest of a person who has not committed any offence requires no 
warrant while a warrant is required in the case of a person committing 
an offence it means that an innocent person is placed below the level of 
an offender. An innocent person is given the treatment that is meant for 
a bad person and vice versa. These activities should never be indulged 
in.

	(4) The modus operandi adopted n the arrests of  ordinary members and 
organising committee members of the National League for Democracy 
appears as if the higher authorities have given the arresting persons 
carte blanche power to do just as they like without need to observe any 
rules of law or procedure. For example, the military intelligence 
personnel are exercising police powers in matters relating to warrants.

6. The people within the country have been given no information about 
these arrests. Instead, news broadcast and published for international 
consumption is falsely given claiming that " the persons are being 
detained for consultations and have not been arrested ".

7. In weighing up the events, it is obvious that an excessive misuse of 
power is being exercised without any compassion or fellow feeling for 
one's own countrymen and women. The current political, social and 
economic crisis that the people are facing daily can never and will 
never be solved by such illegal arrests of the NLD 
parliamentarians-elect and members. The future is very black for the 
country and should never never happen.

8. Of the thirty articles enumerated in the Declaration of Human Rights, 
the authorities here are contravening altogether twenty of them. 
Articles 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 
25, 27, 28, 29 are being ignored and contravened in their entirety.

9. x   x    x     x    x

10. If the innocent members of the National League for Democracy who 
have not contravened any provision of the law are charged and committed 
to trial and sentenced it will be entirely out of hate and evil 
mindedness. This will amount to destroying and demolishing the rule of 
law. The people will gain nothing. It is necessary to return to truth 
and righteousness. The member of the National  league for Democracy 
including the parliamentarians-elect have been detained and imprisoned 
for far too long and should all be unconditionally released immediately 
and we ask that no more illegal arrests be made.



Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
6  October, 1998 	    




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