Myanmar accuses foreigners of orche

[darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Agence France Presse 

Myanmar accuses foreigners of orchestrating hostage crisis 

AFP 5 Oct 99: The Myanmar junta Tuesday accused foreign interests of
masterminding the hostage crisis at
Yangon's embassy in the Thai capital Bangkok. 

Editorials in state-run newspapers described the hostage crisis as a
"bizarre political theatre." 

"The drama was fishy to say the least and stank of conspiracy," the New
Light of Myanmar said
Tuesday. 

Myanmar said Monday that foreign diplomats in Bangkok held several meetings
with anti-junta groups
based in Thailand and hinted they may have played a role in the crisis. 

The editorial repeatedly refered to "foreign paymasters" who allegedly
masterminded the 25-hour siege,
in which 38 people were held hostage by Myanmar gunmen claiming to be
pro-democracy students in
exile. 

The five gunmen demanded that the military junta in Yangon open talks with
the democratic opposition
led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. 

The junta repeatedly accuses Aung San Suu Kyi, who denied involvement in
the embassy storming and
decried the use of violence, of having foreign backers. 

Editorials Tuesday also criticised the gunmen's Western hostages for
"taking a free ride in the
conspiracy." 

As the gunmen climbed into an escape helicopter provided by the Thai
authorities Saturday to take them
to the border, freed Western hostages waved red pro-democracy banners and
shouted slogans. 

In earlier statements the junta claimed some of the western hostages were
part of an elaborate "stage
act" and had been involved in planning the hostage crisis. 
Internet ProLink PC User