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Reuters-Myanmar Still Split on 52nd



Subject: Reuters-Myanmar Still Split on 52nd Independence Day 

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Myanmar Still Split on 52nd Independence Day=20
05:34 a.m. Jan 04, 2000 Eastern=20
By Aung Hla Tun=20

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar marked the 52nd anniversary of independence =
from Britain on Tuesday with its people divided.=20

In their independence day ceremony, the ruling generals called for a =
united stand against terrorists and neo-colonialists while dissidents =
overseas urged a new struggle for independence, this time from =
``fascism'' and ``military serfdom.''=20

Officials estimated 15,700 people attended a flag-raising organized by =
the generals of the governing State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) =
at People's Square in Yangon.=20

In an address, SPDC head Senior General Than Shwe urged the population =
to take greater responsibility in safeguarding independence and =
sovereignty.=20

``It is imperative to oppose and remove with the people's might the =
destructive danger of the terrorist and destructive group...and =
neo-colonialists from abroad,'' he said.=20

The military uses the terms terrorists and destructionists to refer to =
ethnic groups fighting for greater autonomy and the pro-democracy =
opposition led by Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi of the =
National League for Democracy (NLD).=20

In her independence day speech, Suu Kyi called on the generals to do the =
dignified thing and step back from politics.=20

SUU KYI URGES MILITARY TO POLITICS=20

``It always brings dignity to one who falls back when it's time to fall =
back, whether it's in warfare or in politics,'' she told a group of =
about 500 people at her party's headquarters.=20

Earlier, one of Myanmar's surviving independence leaders appealed in a =
statement for talks between the generals and NLD.=20

Bohmu Aung, 90, said Myanmar was in political turmoil due to a failure =
to convene a People's Parliament elected in the last general election in =
1990, which Suu Kyi's NLD won by a landslide.=20

``Even though armed fighting has lessened, political, economic and =
social difficulties are happening as national solidarity has not been =
built through national reconciliation by political means,'' his =
statement said.=20

Bohmu Aung was one of Myanmar's ``Thirty Comrades,'' the group which led =
the struggle for independence won in 1948.=20

The government, which blames the NLD for a lack of dialogue, said in a =
statement it hoped the party would adopt a ``more realistic and flexible =
policy.''=20

``It is the desire of the government together with that of the people of =
Myanmar to be able to enjoy the beginning of the New Year as a period of =
conciliation, cooperation and mutual help in building a better future =
for the people of Myanmar,'' it said.=20

Dissident groups based on the Thai-Myanmar border issued statements =
slamming the military, which took direct power in 1988 by killing =
thousands to crush a pro-democracy uprising.=20

The National Council of the Union of Burma said Myanmar enjoyed less =
freedom now than during colonial rule.=20

``The people, under the domestically bred military dictatorship, have =
been turned into military serfs,'' it said.=20

``The system of fascism in Burma must be totally ended, if we are to =
reach the goal of democracy.''=20





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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT color=3D#800000><FONT =
size=3D+1><STRONG>Myanmar=20
Still Split on 52nd Independence Day</STRONG></FONT> <BR></FONT>05:34 =
a.m. Jan=20
04, 2000 Eastern=20
<P><STRONG>By Aung Hla Tun</STRONG>=20
<P>YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar marked the 52nd anniversary of =
independence from=20
Britain on Tuesday with its people divided.=20
<P>In their independence day ceremony, the ruling generals called for a =
united=20
stand against terrorists and neo-colonialists while dissidents overseas =
urged a=20
new struggle for independence, this time from ``fascism'' and ``military =

serfdom.''=20
<P>Officials estimated 15,700 people attended a flag-raising organized =
by the=20
generals of the governing State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) at =
People's=20
Square in Yangon.=20
<P>In an address, SPDC head Senior General Than Shwe urged the =
population to=20
take greater responsibility in safeguarding independence and =
sovereignty.=20
<P>``It is imperative to oppose and remove with the people's might the=20
destructive danger of the terrorist and destructive group...and =
neo-colonialists=20
from abroad,'' he said.=20
<P>The military uses the terms terrorists and destructionists to refer =
to ethnic=20
groups fighting for greater autonomy and the pro-democracy opposition =
led by=20
Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for =
Democracy=20
(NLD).=20
<P>In her independence day speech, Suu Kyi called on the generals to do =
the=20
dignified thing and step back from politics.=20
<P><FONT color=3D#800000><STRONG>SUU KYI URGES MILITARY TO =
POLITICS</STRONG>=20
</FONT>
<P>``It always brings dignity to one who falls back when it's time to =
fall back,=20
whether it's in warfare or in politics,'' she told a group of about 500 =
people=20
at her party's headquarters.=20
<P>Earlier, one of Myanmar's surviving independence leaders appealed in =
a=20
statement for talks between the generals and NLD.=20
<P>Bohmu Aung, 90, said Myanmar was in political turmoil due to a =
failure to=20
convene a People's Parliament elected in the last general election in =
1990,=20
which Suu Kyi's NLD won by a landslide.=20
<P>``Even though armed fighting has lessened, political, economic and =
social=20
difficulties are happening as national solidarity has not been built =
through=20
national reconciliation by political means,'' his statement said.=20
<P>Bohmu Aung was one of Myanmar's ``Thirty Comrades,'' the group which =
led the=20
struggle for independence won in 1948.=20
<P>The government, which blames the NLD for a lack of dialogue, said in =
a=20
statement it hoped the party would adopt a ``more realistic and flexible =

policy.''=20
<P>``It is the desire of the government together with that of the people =
of=20
Myanmar to be able to enjoy the beginning of the New Year as a period of =

conciliation, cooperation and mutual help in building a better future =
for the=20
people of Myanmar,'' it said.=20
<P>Dissident groups based on the Thai-Myanmar border issued statements =
slamming=20
the military, which took direct power in 1988 by killing thousands to =
crush a=20
pro-democracy uprising.=20
<P>The National Council of the Union of Burma said Myanmar enjoyed less =
freedom=20
now than during colonial rule.=20
<P>``The people, under the domestically bred military dictatorship, have =
been=20
turned into military serfs,'' it said.=20
<P>``The system of fascism in Burma must be totally ended, if we are to =
reach=20
the goal of democracy.''=20
<P><BR></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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