News on India papers MAy 30

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Suu Kyi phone interview cut off
May 30 1996, The Hindu (New Delhi)
 
London, May 29. The Myanmarese opposition leader, Ms. Aung San Suu 
Kyis telephone in Yangon went dead as she spoke on it during a live 
radio programme being relayed from London to Myanmar on Tuesday 
the BBC said.
 
Implying that Myanmars military regime was responsible for cutting off 
the telephone, Ms. Marcia Poole, head of the BBCs Burmese service 
said, although this was not an entirely unforeseen occurrence, we are of 
course very disappointed that it happened.
 
Ms. Suu Kyi was taking part in the broadcast with two studio guests in 
London. Listeners were able to call in via the link-up to ask her and the 
two people in London question on air.
 
Ms. Poole said Ms. Suu Kyis telephone went dead after she answered a 
question about the Burmese militarys involvement in politics.
 
The BBC quoted Ms. Suu Kyi as saying after-wards; I hope another live 
discussion programme can be organised again. After all, I believed in 
perseverance.
 
Ms. Suu Kyi yesterday ended a daring meeting of pro-democracy forces 
in Yangon by urging Myanmars military regime to honour the results of 
a 1990 elections and return the country to civilian. (AP)
 
 
BBC Interview cut off midway
May 30 1996, The Asian Age (New Delhi)
 
London, May 29; Burmese Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyis 
telephone in Rangoon went dead as she spoke on it during a live radio 
program being relayed from London, the BBC said.
 
BBC World Service Radio said on Tuesday that her voice disappeared 
off the airways during its program on Monday which was being 
broadcast to Burma. Implying that Burmas military regime was 
responsible for cutting off the telephone, Ms Marcia Poole, head of the 
BBCs Burmese service said, Although this was not an entirely 
unforeseen occurrence, we are of course very disappointed that it 
happened. Speaking by telephone from her home in Rangoon, Ms Suu 
Kyi was taking part in the broadcast with two studio guests in London. 
Listeners were able to call in to ask her questions on air. (AP)
 
 
Ruled by fear has to end, says Suu Kyi
 
May 30 1996, The Asian Age (New Delhi)
 
Rangoon, May 29: Burmese dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi vowed 
on Wednesday to bring democracy to her country, a land she said was 
ruled by fear.
 
The people of Burma are very, very frightened. They are ruled by fear. 
SLORCs weapon is fear, she said in an interview, referring to the 
military rulers, the State Law and Order Restoration Council. Those 
who are frightened dont like the fact they have to live in fear. she 
said, 
sitting on the porch of the weather-beaten lakeside home that served as 
her prison for six years of house arrest.
 
The future of course is democracy for Burma, she said confidently. It 
is going to happens. She said she did not feel confined to her home 
despite attempts by the military to prevent her from getting out and 
meeting the people.
 
She was forced to cancel  a trip to Burmas second city Mandalay in 
March when the train coach she was booked on developed a fault.
 
I actually dont feel the constraints. Of course I was very much aware of 
the fact I couldnt go to Mandalay. But we have such a lot of work to 
do.
 
I do go out quite often; people dont seem to realise I go out. I dont go 
out public places because, for example if I go shopping and a crowd 
gathers, its very difficult to get my shopping done. she said. She said 
husband, British academic Machael Aris, was denied a visa to visit 
Burma at Easter but she hoped he would be able to come in the summer 
after her youngest son finishes school exams. We talk very often, 
virtually every Sunday. Last week he called me more often than that 
because he was quite worried. In some ways, I am so much better off 
than my colleagues who are in jail, because their families are vulnerable 
whereas mine is not. (Reuter)
 
Junta not bothered about sanctions
May 30 1996, The Asian Age (New Delhi)
 
Bangkok May 39: Rangoon is counting on its own resources for 
development and is unworried at threats of economic sanctions, Burmas 
minister for finance said an interview published on Wednesday in the 
Asia Times.
 
Brigadier-General Win Tin assailed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi 
for urging investors to stay away from Burma, and he defended the 
ruling juntas efforts to develop democracy in our own way.
 
Interviewed on Monday in Rangoon, Win Tin said, The Americans may 
try to block our country, but theyll try in vain. We have been isolated 
since 1988, and have grown with our own resources, so we are not 
bothered by any boycott.
 
It has no effect on our economy, he said adding that increasing 
numbers of businessmen were setting up in Burma. This shows their 
strong belief in our economic growth and our policies and our political 
and economic stability. He dismissed Ms Suu Kyis calls to investors to 
stay away from Burma as just political, and representing only a 
minority view.
 
If she love the country, if she were patriotic, she ought to invite the 
foreigners to invest here, he held.
 
Asked about her contention that sustained economic growth was not 
possible without the rule of law and democracy, Brig. Gen. Win Tin 
said, America has democracy in its own manner  and tradition and 
culture.
 
In Myanmar we are also trying to develop democracy in our own 
tradition way, with our own culture and our own environment, he told 
the regional daily. (AFP)
 
 
Military junta denounces Suu Kyi
May 30 1996, The Asian Age (New Delhi)
 
Burmas military government kept up a war of words with democracy 
leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday by denouncing her and the 
democracy movement in official media.
 
News of mass public rallies held to support government actions and to 
protest against the democracy activists took up several  pages in the 
state-run newspapers.
 
The newspapers said thousand of people attended two rallies on Tuesday, 
chanting slogans against Ms Suu Kyis  democracy movement which 
they said could cause instability.
 
They said medical superintendent Dr. Hla Pe delivered a speech to a 
rally of 40,000 people in Rangoon, calling for collective efforts to 
destroy the axe-handles trying to thwart developing conditions and 
stability in the country.
 
The term axe-handle is used by the Burmese media to describe or 
denounce Burmese citizens who are seen as helping foreigners attack the 
country. His speech was similar to that made at a rally on Monday. 
(Reuter)
 
 
Burmese pro-government rally draws many
May 30 1996, The Time of India (New Delhi)
 
Rangoon, May 29: Even as thousands of people turned out for a pro-
government rally in a Rangoon suburb early on Wednesday Burmas 
military government kept up a war of words with democracy leader 
Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday by denouncing her and the democracy 
movement in official media.
 
More than 10,000 people turned up for the rally in a sports stadium in 
Thanlyin, south of Rangoon, to hear pro-government speeches and chant 
slogans against revolutionary ideas, participants said.
 
The rally was off-limits to foreign journalists, but many participants 
said 
attendance at the meeting, one of a series across the country in the past 
few days, was obligatory for three members per house-hold in the suburb.
 
The New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday separate rallies of 
40,000 and 36,000 people across the country supporting nation building 
endeavour and denouncing destructionists. The rallies are apparently in 
response to huge turnouts by supporters of opposition leader Aung San 
Suu Kyi this weekend. (AP)