Arrests - pickup 2

[ider@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Burma: Military Continues Arrests; At Least 71 Held:NLD

   RANGOON, Burma (Dow Jones)--Burma's military regime ignored internatio=
nal
protests Wednesday and stepped up arrests of democratic opposition leader=
s,
holding at least 71 people in custody, the opposition said. 
   Among those arrested in Rangoon was Win Htein, personal assistant and
spokesman for pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said opposition spok=
esman
Aye Win, a cousin of Suu Kyi. 
   Aye Win affirmed that Suu Kyi hadn't yet been arrested and 'was fine.'=
 All 10
members of the central committee of her opposition party, the National =
League
for Democracy (NLD), were still at their homes, he said. 
   The government has given no reason for the current spate of arrests =
and it is
unclear where the detainees are being held. 
   Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said in Tokyo Wednesday he =
was
concerned over the arrests, and that the move went 'against the democrati=
zation
process,' according to Kyodo News. 
   'I am closely following developments,' Hashimoto added. 
   And Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiroku Kajiyama told a Wednesday press
conference that Japan hopes Burma will work toward democratization and =
maintain
dialogue with the NLD, Kyodo reported. 
   (END) AP-DOW JONES NEWS 22-05-96
   0600GMT