ST-Back to classes in Myanmar -- af

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Subject: ST-Back to classes in Myanmar -- after 3 years 

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The Strait Times, DEC 30 1999=20

      Back to classes in Myanmar -- after 3 years=20



      Universities, shut down in 1996 by the military regime to quell =
protests, have reopened some classes, which are now relocated from =
campuses=20

      YANGON (Myanmar) -- Engineering students began picking up the =
threads of their lives this week, returning to classes three years after =
the military regime closed all universities to quell political protests. =


      Hedging their bets that diploma-hungry students will stay off the =
streets, the authorities have taken the extraordinary measure of moving =
classes away from traditional campuses -- the focal points of student =
unrest in the capital.=20

      Universities, hotbeds of activism since British colonial rule, =
have been open for only 30 months since 1988, when the current =
generation of generals came to power after crushing an uprising against =
a quarter-century of military rule.=20

      The government says that relocating campuses is for student =
convenience.=20

      Those living outside Yangon will study in Prome, 240 km north of =
the capital, and those living in upper Myanmar will study in Mandalay, =
the country's second-biggest city.=20

      Third and fourth-year engineering students from the capital began =
studies on Monday at newly-opened Yangon Technology University, about 14 =
km from downtown Yangon. No unrest was reported.=20

      Other classes of the institute remain suspended. First and =
second-year engineering classes are expected to resume early next year.=20

      Yangon Technology University is the new name for the Yangon =
Institute of Technology. Its old campus in north-central Yangon was a =
centre for student demonstrations.=20

      Along with other colleges in Myanmar, it was closed on Dec 9, =
1996, following protests against police handling of a quarrel between =
students and some restaurant workers.=20

      The protests had quickly taken on a political edge and the =
generals accused Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of =
Myanmar's democracy movement, of organising them.=20

      Ms Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, this month =
described the university closings as an "immense national loss".=20

      But the government's economics czar, Brigadier-General David Abel =
said classes at universities and colleges were being reopened gradually =
and all would be resumed by May.=20

      It cannot come too soon for the students. Ms Khin Marlar, 23, a =
Yangon Technology University student, mulled over why she has spent the =
prime of her life working as a 4,000-kyats (S$20)-per-month clerk.=20

      "I have wasted three years of my life," she said. "I hope I can =
study without interruption and get my degree so that I can get a job and =
support my parents."=20

      But some students have learned little but cynicism.=20

      "I don't see much future since many of my graduate friends are =
still hunting for jobs," said Mying Maung, 25. "I'm not sure if classes =
will resume uninterrupted or how old I will be when I become a =
graduate." -- AP=20



-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-

      Three wasted years=20

      'I have wasted three years of my life. I hope I can study without =
interruption and get my degree so that I can get a job and support my =
parents.'
      -- Ms Khin Marlar, 23, a Yangon Technology University student=20

      Job not guaranteed=20

      'I don't see much future since many of my graduate friends are =
still hunting for jobs. I'm not sure if classes will resume =
uninterrupted or how old I will be when I become a graduate.'
      -- Student Mying Maung, 25=20
    =20



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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Helvetica, Arial" =
size=3D2><B>The Strait=20
Times, DEC 30 1999 </B></FONT>
<P><!--HEADLINE FOR REGION STORY-->
<P>
<TABLE border=3D0 cellPadding=3D5 cellSpacing=3D0 style=3D"HEIGHT: =
1988px; WIDTH: 643px"=20
width=3D350>
  <TBODY>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=3Dtop><FONT size=3D+2><!-- head ends here -->Back to =
classes in=20
      Myanmar -- after 3 years </FONT>
      <P>
      <P>
      <P>
      <P><B>Universities, shut down in 1996 by the military regime to =
quell=20
      protests, have reopened some classes, which are now relocated from =

      campuses</B>=20
      <P>YANGON (Myanmar) -- Engineering students began picking up the =
threads=20
      of their lives this week, returning to classes three years after =
the=20
      military regime closed all universities to quell political =
protests.=20
      <P>Hedging their bets that diploma-hungry students will stay off =
the=20
      streets, the authorities have taken the extraordinary measure of =
moving=20
      classes away from traditional campuses -- the focal points of =
student=20
      unrest in the capital.=20
      <P>Universities, hotbeds of activism since British colonial rule, =
have=20
      been open for only 30 months since 1988, when the current =
generation of=20
      generals came to power after crushing an uprising against a=20
      quarter-century of military rule.=20
      <P>The government says that relocating campuses is for student=20
      convenience.=20
      <P>Those living outside Yangon will study in Prome, 240 km north =
of the=20
      capital, and those living in upper Myanmar will study in Mandalay, =
the=20
      country's second-biggest city.=20
      <P>Third and fourth-year engineering students from the capital =
began=20
      studies on Monday at newly-opened Yangon Technology University, =
about 14=20
      km from downtown Yangon. No unrest was reported.=20
      <P>Other classes of the institute remain suspended. First and =
second-year=20
      engineering classes are expected to resume early next year.=20
      <P>Yangon Technology University is the new name for the Yangon =
Institute=20
      of Technology. Its old campus in north-central Yangon was a centre =
for=20
      student demonstrations.=20
      <P>Along with other colleges in Myanmar, it was closed on Dec 9, =
1996,=20
      following protests against police handling of a quarrel between =
students=20
      and some restaurant workers.=20
      <P>The protests had quickly taken on a political edge and the =
generals=20
      accused Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's =

      democracy movement, of organising them.=20
      <P>Ms Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, this =
month=20
      described the university closings as an "immense national loss".=20
      <P>But the government's economics czar, Brigadier-General David =
Abel said=20
      classes at universities and colleges were being reopened gradually =
and all=20
      would be resumed by May.=20
      <P>It cannot come too soon for the students. Ms Khin Marlar, 23, a =
Yangon=20
      Technology University student, mulled over why she has spent the =
prime of=20
      her life working as a 4,000-kyats (S$20)-per-month clerk.=20
      <P>"I have wasted three years of my life," she said. "I hope I can =
study=20
      without interruption and get my degree so that I can get a job and =
support=20
      my parents."=20
      <P>But some students have learned little but cynicism.=20
      <P>"I don't see much future since many of my graduate friends are =
still=20
      hunting for jobs," said Mying Maung, 25. "I'm not sure if classes =
will=20
      resume uninterrupted or how old I will be when I become a =
graduate." -- AP=20

      <P>
      <HR width=3D"50%">

      <P><B>Three wasted years</B>=20
      <P>'I have wasted three years of my life. I hope I can study =
without=20
      interruption and get my degree so that I can get a job and support =
my=20
      parents.'<BR><B>-- Ms Khin Marlar, 23, a Yangon Technology =
University=20
      student=20
      <P>Job not guaranteed</B>=20
      <P>'I don't see much future since many of my graduate friends are =
still=20
      hunting for jobs. I'm not sure if classes will resume =
uninterrupted or how=20
      old I will be when I become a graduate.'<BR><B>-- Student Mying =
Maung,=20
      25</B>=20
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