Burmese regime warns of conflict.

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			Burmese regime warns of conflict.
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	Burma's militray leaders today threatened tougher action agaist 
	political dissent as they continued to round up supporters of the 
	democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in definace of international 
	protests.

	A commentary in the official New Light of Myanmar newspaper 
	accused Ms Suu Kyi of plotting to destabilise the country and warned 
	of a confrontation similar to that of 1988, when the armed forces 
	killed an estimated 3000 protesters.

	"We cannot afford a fire from trash to spread to a large 
	building. The Government and the people shall in no way allow the 
	nation to plunge into hellish tragedies," the commentary said.

	Ms Suu Kyi told a news conference late today that she would not 
	be intimidated by the crackdown and was determined to go ahead with 
	plans for a conference of party on Sunday.

	"They (the regime) have lost their nerve because they know they 
	don't have the support of the people," she said.

	Ms Suu Kyi said the arrests had been expected and she was 
	expecting more over the next few days.

	The latest arrest included Ms Suu Kyi's press secretary, the 
	veteran journalist Mr Aye Win. Authorities detained her private 
	secreatry and several other key party workers.

	Australia has joined the United Sates, Japan and Britain in 
	denouncing the crackdown.

	But Burma's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council vowed 
	to continue its effort to block the Nobel peace laureate from staging 
	the meeting.

	Diplomats said other National League for Democracy supporters had 
	avoided detention by agreeing not to attend Sunday's meeting.

	The planned meeting will mark the sixth anniversary of national 
	elections that the league won in a landslide vote. The military barred 
	the party from taking power and jailed most of its leaders and elected 
	MPs.

	The regime today accused Ms Suu Kyi of abusing "the good-will and 
	magnanimity" of their decision to release her from six years of house 
	arrest last July.

	"A group of persons of NLD has hatched a plot and is moving about 
	stealhily in a bid to destabilise the country which has achieved 
	stablity," said the official commentray carried in all state-run 
	newspapers.

	"They are about to shatter the stability and peace of the state 
	in the next few days with their preparations to create uproarious 
	opposition under the pretext of observing the anniversary of the 
	election."

	It said the league's leaders were "irrational, egoistic and 
	power-crazy" and must be stopped.

	But the authorities denied that the detainees had been arrested 
	and said they were only being "called in for questioning".

	"Far from being tortured they are being treated well in dignity 
	and with respect. It is a timely reminder for them before they are 
	misled," the commentary said.

	[Picture: Defiant mood:San Lwin, a National League for Democracy 
	supporter, holds an ole election poster of Ms Suu Kyi, who is 
	determined to go ahead with plans for a conference of party leaders 
	on Sunday.]

	(By MARK BAKER, South-East Asia correspondent, Rangoon, Thursday)

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