Straits Times 5/28

[mcs@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

May 28, 1996 

              YANGON -- Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National
              League for Democracy (NLD) yesterday launched the second day of a party
              congress which went ahead despite the detention of more than 250 NLD
              activists in the military junta's attempt to stop it. 

              The opening day of the conference on Sunday culminated in a massive show of
              support for the NLD as a record number of some 10,000 people turned out in
              front of Aung San Suu Kyi's house to hear one of her twice-weekly addresses.

              She had pledged to "march on until we reach our desired goal of democracy". 

              The military junta has arrested mostly party candidates who won seats in
              the abortive 1990 elections. 

              The meeting was intended to bring the elected representatives together to
              mark the sixth anniversary of the elections, but the detentions have forced
              the NLD to take a different tack. 

              Ms Aung San Suu Kyi has announced that the meeting will be the first in a
              series of party congresses which will adopt positions on a new constitution,
              economic policy and issues such as human rights. 

              The official press has unsurprisingly failed to comment on Sunday's meeting
              and the rally outside her house, but aimed several darts yesterday at the
              opposition in thinly-veiled editorials. 

              The official New Light of Myanmar warned of "maggots" backed by outside
              interests who would bring about the demise of the country, which analysts
              said was a reference to Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD.-- AFP, Reuter.