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AFP-Myanmar army has nothing to fea



Subject: AFP-Myanmar army has nothing to fear from civilian rule: Aung San

Suu Kyi
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Myanmar army has nothing to fear from civilian rule: Aung San Suu Kyi
BANGKOK, Aug 7 (AFP) - Myanmar pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi called Saturday for national reconciliation on the eve of the 11th
anniversary of a bloody student uprising, saying soldiers need not fear
retribution from a civilian government.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who heads the National League for Democracy (NLD) party,
urged the "army and the people to work hand-in-hand to achieve democracy,
where the people govern the country."

"There is no question that the people's government will honor the role of
the Tatmadaw (military)," said a transcript of the messagedistributed by the
Alternative Asean Network on Burma (ALTSEAN), which said it was broadcast on
Burmese-language radio.

ALTSEAN is a southeast Asian network of academics, non-governmental
organisations and dissidents.

"We also want the Tatmadaw to know what we are trying to do for our country.
To achieve this understanding we need to have the freedom to communicate and
discuss," she said.

Sunday is the anniversary of the country's August 8, 1988, uprising in which
hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators were gunned down and a junta took
power from military dictator Ne Win.

The NLD under Aung San Suu Kyi won an easy victory in 1990 elections but the
military has refused to recognise the result, despite repeated calls and
international pressure for a transition of power.

The junta has also spurned calls for dialogue with the NLD if Aung San Suu
Kyi, the daughter of independence hero General Aung San, takes part.

The transcript also included a message from NLD vice-chairman Tin Oo, who
called for the military to downsize and stay out of national politics.

"The soldiers have to stay clear from party politics. Military men must work
only as soldiers," he said.

"Democracy brings benefits to the majority of the people as well as the
Tatmadaw. Achieving democracy will not hurt the soldiers. Instead it will
benefit them."

Tin Oo, a former general and veteran of Burma's independence struggle from
Britain, said soldiers were drawn from the people to serve and not "burden
the people."

The junta last Monday stepped up its rhetoric against the opposition as
authorities tried to smother memories of the bloody student uprising 11
years ago.

Junta First Secretary Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, in a speech widely
reported in Myanmar's state-run press, accused the NLD of conspiring with
foreign "superpowers" to overthrow the junta.

An official junta statement last week mocked announcements by exiled
opposition and other anti-government groups that they were plotting unrest
on September 9, or 9/9/99, a day of numerical significance.

Exiled activists on Thursday called for campaign of civil disobedience and
revealed detailed plans to incite unrest on September 9.

Dissidents and politicians exiled in Thailand said expectations were high
that civil unrest would break out around Myanmar on that date, with monks
and students planning acts of disobedience this week to encourage a
"revolution."