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NEWS - Suu Kyi Asks Myanmar Women t



Subject: NEWS - Suu Kyi Asks Myanmar Women to Fight for Democracy on

Women's Day
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Suu Kyi Asks Myanmar Women to Fight for Democracy on Women's Day

               AP
               20-JUN-99

               BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Embattled opposition leader
               Aung San Suu Kyi encouraged Myanmar women to fight for
               democracy in a statement released Saturday on Women of
               Burma Day, an unofficial holiday that coincides with the
               activist's birthday. 

               "There is a great need for our women of Burma to use
their
               capabilities to bring democracy and human rights to our
               country," Suu Kyi said in her statement, which was
received
               in Bangkok. 

               Although not recognized as a national holiday, Women of
               Burma Day was created by Suu Kyi's supporters as a way to
               celebrate the struggles and achievements of the country's
               women. 

               Myanmar, which has been ruled by the military since 1962,
is
               also known as Burma. Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize
               winner, spent six years under house arrest from 1989-95
for
               her role in trying to restore democracy to the Southeast
               Asian nation. 

               Suu Kyi delivered her statement Friday to members of her
               political party, the National League for Democracy, at
its
               headquarters in Myanmar's capital, Yangon. 

               "It is no longer possible even for housewives to keep out
of
               politics, because politics has invaded the traditional
domain
               of housewives," Suu Kyi said. "The root cause of upward
               spiraling commodity prices, greatly increased charges for
               electricity and rising costs of education and health care
is a
               political one." 

               Suu Kyi and many economists have blamed the military
               government for economic mismanagement that has plunged
               the resource-rich country into poverty. Power cuts are a
daily
               occurrence. 

               The government spends nearly half its budget on defense,
               while appropriations for health care and education have
               steadily dwindled during the past decade. 


               On Saturday, which was her 54th birthday, Suu Kyi spent
               the day giving food to Buddhist monks, as she customarily
               does on the 19th of each month to honor her late father
and
               Myanmar's independence leader, Aung San. He was
               assassinated by political rivals on July 19, 1947, along
with
               six members of his Cabinet. 

               In Bangkok, more than 20 women from Myanmar protested
               against military rule in front of the Myanmar Embassy.
               Dressed in traditional sarongs, they chanted
anti-military
               slogans. 

               In her statement, Suu Kyi also addressed women who have
               fled the country to avoid campaigns by the army. More
than
               100,000 refugees from Myanmar, mostly ethnic minorities,
               have been living in camps in Thailand for several years. 

               "We are working hard so that you may be able to come back
               soon to a Burma that will be a refuge for all our ethnic
               nationalities," she said. "Please do not lose heart."