AFP : Update news as of 15:30 GMT

[euburma@xxxxxxxxx]

    Myanmar gunmen release hostages and flee to Thai-Myanmar border
    by Gina Wilkinson
    = . =

    BANGKOK, Oct 2 (AFP) - Five gunmen who stormed Myanmar's Bangkok embassy
in
protest at the country's military regime released their hostages Saturday and
were allowed to flee to the Thai-Myanmar border by helicopter in a deal with
the Thai authorities.
    The hostage drama ended dramatically after a senior Thai minister offered
himself and a Thai official in exchange for the 38 captives and flew with the
gunmen to the border.
    There the gunmen released their two remaining hostages and fled into the
surrounding jungle.
    None of the captives was harmed during their 24-hour ordeal despite the
gunmen's threats to execute them, Thailand's Interior Minister Sanan
Kachonprasart said.
    As the crisis reached its climax around noon Saturday (0500 GMT), Deputy
Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra and another Thai official exchanged
themselves for the hostages.
    Sukhambhand and the five gunmen then boarded a police helicopter in
central
Bangkok and flew to the western Thai province of Ratchaburi, near the border
with Myanmar.
    "The helicopter landed at Suan Pheung district ... the five men got out
and
the helicopter left the area," said Sanan, adding the gunmen's destination
was
unknown.
    The crisis began around noon Friday when the group, calling itself the
"Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors" and armed with AK-47 assault rifles and
grenades, stormed the Myanmar embassy.
    A total of 38 people were held hostage in the main embassy building while
51 others hid inside diplomatic residences in the compound.
    "We succeeded in solving this problem without any of the hostages, Thai,
foreigner or Myanmar people being hurt," Sanan said.
    Sanan said Thailand would take action against the group if they were
captured, but expressed sympathy with their cause.
    "They are not terrorists, they are students who fight for democracy," he
said. "They can go anywhere they want, but if they are in Thailand, the
authorities will take action."
    The gunmen had demanded the Myanmar junta free all political prisoners and
enter talks with the pro-democracy National League for Democracy (NLD), which
in 1990 won elections ignored ever since by the military.
    In a statement Saturday the NLD said it sympathised with the gunmen's
aims,
but strongly dennounced the use of violence.
    "We categorically condemn the seizure of the embassy and the taking of
hostages," it said.
    The NLD said the embassy crisis was the result of "many acts of injustice
and cruelty repeatedly perpetrated by the military regime".
    Myanmar student dissidents living in Thailand also denied any link with
the
group and condemned the use of violence.
    After returning by helicopter to Bangkok, Sukhumbhand denied the affair
would damage relations with Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
    "We didn't help the Myanmar students. We helped the hostages and returned
the embassy to the Myanmar government," Sukhumbhand said.
    Myanmar called Saturday for tough action against the gunmen.
    "It is very important to make these criminals realise that no matter under
what pretext or disguise, the peace loving people of the world community will
not tolerate the criminal and terrorist activities they have committed," the
junta said in a statement received by AFP.
    Army anti-terrorist units, snipers and hundreds of police and special
forces took up positions around the compound and sealed off a busy section of
central Bangkok during the siege.
    Around noon Saturday the gunmen released a burst of gunfire as they forced
23 of their hostages at gunpoint into two vans and sped from the embassy.
    "They are still pointing guns at us ... we need helicopters now," said a
terrified hostage inside the van, speaking to local radio by mobile phone.
The
exchange of hostages took place at a nearby school yard, where the helicopter
was waiting.
    Authorities earlier said 12 gunmen had seized the embassy but police told
AFP Saturday only five men were involved.
    Earlier one of the kidnappers, identifying himself as "Johnny", told AFP
by
telephone the group would execute one prisoner every half hour unless they
were given safe passage to the border.
    "If our demand is not met we will have to kill (them). These people, they
are as good as dead," he said
    A statement faxed from the embassy said the attackers were willing to "die
in action".
    Myanmar dissidents in Thailand said they knew "Johnny," whose real name
was
believed to be Kyaw Oo, a 30-year-old former military cadet.
    Thai officials earlier named 13 Myanmar diplomats who were held captive
but
ambassador Hla Maung was not in the embassy when it was stormed.
    Diplomats confirmed one Australian and three French nationals were taken
hostage. Police here earlier said the hostages also included foreigners from
Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan.
    Some 15 to 20 Thais had also been inside the building, they said.

Thin Myat Thu (Thida)                                  Tel: + 47 22 414143
Web Editor                                                Fax: + 47 22 413929
Democratic Voice of Burma      http://www.communique.no/dvb