Mainichi Shimbun Jan 29 Kyaw Win'

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Subject: Mainichi Shimbun Jan 29   Kyaw Win's Visit -- Human Rights  Groups Demonstrate in Osaka 


Unofficial translation from Mainichi Shimbun, Jan 29, 1999

  MYANMAR'S TOP OFFICIAL VISIT JAPAN,
  HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS DEMONSTRATE IN OSAKA

  Myanmar's Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win was in Japan officially invited by
the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Human rights activists from Tokyo and 
Osaka staged demonstrations protesting his visit and the invitation.

  He is a right hand man to the first secretary of the junta, Khin Nyunt.
The objective of the invitation is said to persuade the junta to move
quickly toward a democratic government.

  He met with Mr. Machimura,  a secretary of the Foreign Ministry, but his
schedule during the stay in Japan was not made public.  He was scheduled to
stay in a hotel in Chuo-ku, Osaka, but the reservation was canceled.

  Although he did not appear at the hotel, more than 20 pro-democracy
activists
dared to stage a protest.  One of their placards asked:  HOW LONG ARE YOU
GOING
TO BULLY THE BURMESE PEOPLE?.

  Ken Kawasaki, a representative of the Burmese Relief Center Japan, the NGO
based in Kashihara, Nara, issued a statement saying that in regards to human
rights 
the Foreign Ministry should not have invited Kyaw Win, who represents the
regime 
which has ignored the results of the national election.

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