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NLD update



08Jun96 THAILAND: U.S. ENVOYS SEEN FACING TOUGH BURMA MISSION. 09:23 GMT  
By Robert Birsel
BANGKOK, June 8 (Reuter) - Asian leaders will be reluctant to help the
United States apply coordinated pressure on Burma's military rulers to ease
their crackdown on anti-government activists, analysts and Burma exiles said
on Saturday.
Two U.S. envoys seeking support to end the campaign against democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi will be hampered by a Southeast Asian tradition of
non-interference in other countries and Washington's perceived lack of
leverage in the region, they said.
The Clinton administration has urged Burma to halt its "pressure tactics"
and said it would send experts William Brown and Stanley Roth to the region
to discuss a coordinated response to brewing political tensions in Burma.
They will visit Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore, Manila and Tokyo
from June 10 to 17.
Diplomatic sources in Tokyo said Japan, the largest aid donor to Burma,
would be urged to use its influence on Rangoon to move towards democracy.
But despite regular cautions to Burma against cracking down on dissidents,
Japan has so far held off from using its aid of about $140 million a year as
a lever.
Burma's military rulers passed a tough new law on Friday that effectively
bans Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her opposition party from saying or
doing anything contrary to the government's planned new constitution.
Analysts said the tradition in the seven-member Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) of staying out of other countries' business will make
the U.S. envoys' job tough.
"There is a very strong feeling within ASEAN that one should not comment on
the internal politics of another country," said Bruce Gale, an analyst with
Political and Economic Risk Consultancy in Singapore.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, and Vietnam, and follows a policy of "constructive engagement"
with Burma, rarely commenting on its affairs or its treatment of its citizens.
Burma last year took the first step towards membership of ASEAN which says
it wants Burma to join by the year 2000.
"To the extent that Burma might be seen as a possible future ASEAN member,
they (ASEAN) may feel uncomfortable going along with the U.S. because it
would create a precedent that might be a little bit worrying," Gale said.
"I don't think they'll achieve anything," said one Burmese exile who closely
watches developments in his country.
"The U.S. doesn't have any leverage with Burma or even with ASEAN," he said.
"I don't see what they can tell the Burmese to make them change."
An exiled elected member of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD)
party, Teddy Buri, said the business links between Burma's ruling State Law
and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) and its southeast Asian neighbours did
not bode well.
"It's not going to be very easy," said Buri. "There are a lot of vested
interests between the SLORC and the individual countries in the region."
But he said he was optimistic Japan, which criticised a crackdown in Rangoon
last month, would continue to speak out.
"The interesting part is whether they would actually condemn the U.S. for
taking such a blatant stand ... I think they would probably try and keep
quiet about it," Gale said.
"And by not saying anything in defence of Burma, I think they could appear
to be supporting the U.S. without actually supporting the U.S. I think
that's about as much as the Americans could hope for," he said.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




08Jun96 SINGAPORE: SINGAPORE'S LEE SAYS WEST SIMPLISTIC ON BURMA. 07:31 GMT  
SINGAPORE, June 8 (Reuter) - Singapore elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew
suggested it was simplistic to think economic pressure would improve the
situation in Burma.
Many in the West advocate economic sanctions on Burma as a means of
pressuring its military government to permit more democracy and take a more
liberal attitude toward human rights.
"We've had representations made by the Australians, the British, the
Americans (saying) 'squeeze them'. You shouldn't be investing, creating jobs
and lending support to the military, but can we squeeze them?," Lee told a
Friday dinner gathering of 250 journalists and diplomats.
"Would they be better off? I don't think so," Lee said.
Burma lagged other countries in southeast Asia in rejecting socialism and
opening up to foreign investment, and had to deal with deep-seated problems
like proverty and rebellious ethnic groups, he said.
If squeezing Burma toppled the government, it would probably then take
active intervention from a major power like the United States to keep the
country from splitting into half a dozen parts, Lee said.
He said Burma had only one instrument of government, its army, and that
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, championed by many in the West, would
likely find it difficult to govern if she actually gained power.
"If I were Aung San Suu Kyi I think I'd rather be behind a fence and be a
symbol than after two or three years" be found impotent, Lee said.
Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, was freed from six years of
house arrest last July. Since then popular political gatherings have been
held outside her house with crowds of up to 10,000 people.
Burma's rulers appear to have stepped up pressure on the opposition in
recent weeks, arresting more than 250 members of the opposition National
League for Democracy (NLD) who were planning to attend a party congress and
warning the party could be outlawed and its members sent to prison if it
continues its policies.
The government passed a tough new law on Friday that effectively muzzles Suu
Kyi and the NLD from saying or doing anything deemed contrary to the
government's planned new constitution.
Lee was addressing the Singapore Press Club and the Foreign Correspondents
Assocation for the first time in decades.
Touching on local politics, Lee said the "old guard" of Singapore's ruling
Peoples Action Party had put together a team of competent younger men with
high integrity.
"When you ask me will Singapore survive after Lee Kuan Yew, my answer is
yes, but provided (Prime Minister) Goh Chok Tong keeps his team together and
keeps on strengthening it by constant self renewal," he said.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




08Jun96 JAPAN: JAPAN MAY BE ASKED FOR ACTION ON BURMA AID. 07:12 GMT  
TOKYO, June 8 (Reuter) - Japan, largest aid donor to Burma, is likely to
come under pressure from a U.S. mission headed to Asia to help head off a
crackdown on dissidents in Rangoon, diplomatic sources said on Saturday.
The White House has announced that envoys William Brown and Stanley Roth
will visit Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore, Manila and Tokyo from
June 10 to 17 to discuss a coordinated response to brewing political
tensions in Burma.
Tension has been set off by a law enacted by Burma's military rulers on
Friday that effectively muzzles Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her
opposition party.
On Friday, Japan repeated its call for the military rulers to allow Suu Kyi
to make weekend speeches outside her home.
"I believe gatherings should be allowed in view of the principle of freedom
of political activities," foreign minister Yukihiko Ikeda told parliament.
Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, was freed from six years of
house arrest last July by Burma's military government. Since then popular
political gatherings have been held outside her house with crowds of up to
10,000 people.
Despite regular cautions to Burma against cracking down on dissidents, Japan
has so far held off from using its aid of about $140 million a year as a
lever in ensuring the country moves towards democracy.
The diplomatic sources said in view of the latest events Tokyo may now be
asked to send a stronger signal about linkage of its aid and democracy.
Last Monday about 100 Burmese activists rallied in central Tokyo to demand
an end to Japanese aid and business support to the Rangoon military government.
Many of the activists carried banners urging Japanese firms such as Mitsui
and Mitsubishi to leave Burma.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




08Jun96 BURMA: BURMESE MILITARY, OPPOSITION IN NEW STANDOFF. 05:23 GMT  
By Aung Hla Tun
RANGOON, June 8 (Reuter) - Burma's military rulers and dissident leader Aung
San Suu Kyi appeared headed for another showdown on Saturday after the
government introduced a stiff new law to silence political opponents.
An editorial in the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper applauded moves
to muzzle anti-government activists but Suu Kyi and officials from her
National League for Democracy (NLD) planned to go ahead with regular weekend
speeches.
The broad-ranging law, which appears to be aimed directly at the NLD,
prohibits anyone from saying or doing anything deemed contrary to the
government's plans to write a new constitution.
Signed by ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) chairman
Than Shwe, the law allows prison sentence of up to 20 years. Violators can
also be outlawed and the assets of offending organisations may be seized by
the government.
Suu Kyi's regular weekend speeches at her Rangoon residence have steadily
gained in popularity since they began after she was freed from six years of
house arrest last July.
The crowds have swelled from a timid group of several hundred people to up
to 10,000 chanting, applauding supporters over the past two weekends.
New Light of Myanmar praised the military for "restoring conditions to
normal and moving ahead with the essentials of achieving allround progress.
"National reconciliation has never been as successful as it is today and the
Tatmadaw (armed forces) government is paving the way towards greater peace,
progress and prosperity," it said.
"Attempts are being made, in collusion with external cohorts, to challenge
the authority of the government and jeopardise the chances of peace and
progress, causing misunderstanding and uncertainty."
Newspapers in Burma operate under strict government control and all
editorials and commentaries reflect the views of SLORC.
The speeches cover a wide variety of subjects, but over the past few
weekends Suu Kyi has spoken of the NLD's plans to step up the momentum in
its efforts to bring democracy to Burma.
The party won a landlide victory in a 1990 general election, but the results
were never recognised by the SLORC.
One of its most immediate goals is to write its own version of a
constitution, directly challenging the SLORC's ongoing convention of mostly
hand-picked delegates who have met since 1993 to draft a new constitution.
The NLD angered the SLORC last November when it pulled out of the
convention, claiming it did not represent the will of the people.
Over the past three weeks the SLORC, which assumed power in 1988 after
crushing pro-democracy uprisings, has stepped up pressure on the NLD.
In mid-May SLORC arrested more than 250 NLD politicians planning to attend a
party congress, and over the past few weeks it has warned in official media
the party could be outlawed and its members sent to prison if it continues
its policies.
The party has since held its congress anyway and vowed to push harder for
democracy and draft its own charter.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




08Jun96 THAILAND: BURMA'S SUU KYI, MILITARY SEEN IN SHOWDOWN. 02:43 GMT  
By Deborah Charles
BANGKOK, June 8 (Reuter) - Burmese dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the
country's military rulers appeared headed for another showdown on Saturday
after the government enacted a stiff new law effectively muzzling opposition
parties.
Suu Kyi and officials from her National League for Democracy (NLD) have said
they plan to go ahead with regular weekend speeches on Saturday and Sunday,
despite warnings by the government and Friday's new law.
The broad-ranging law, which appears to be aimed directly at the NLD,
prohibits anyone from saying or doing anything deemed contrary to the
government's plans to write a new constitution.
Punishment is a prison sentence of up to 20 years. If a party is found
guilty it could be outlawed and all assets of the organisation could be
seized by the government.
The law, signed by ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
chairman Than Shwe, also prohibits individuals or groups from demonstrating,
giving speeches or supporting anyone who speaks out against the
constitution-writing process -- a keystone of the SLORC's political strategy.
It said organisations and individuals should not "instigate,
demonstrate...or give speeches that would affect the solidarity of the
nation...belittle and create misunderstanding among the public in connection
with the national convention."
Suu Kyi had planned to continue her regular speech at the front gates of her
Rangoon residence this weekend. No one was available at NLD offices early on
Saturday to say if that plan had changed.
The hour-long speeches have steadily gained in popularity since they began
after Suu Kyi was released from six years of house arrest last July.
They are given by Suu Kyi on Saturdays and deputy NLD secretaries Tin Oo and
Skyi Maung and also by Suu Kyi on Sundays.
The crowds have swelled from a timid group of several hundred people to up
to 10,000 chanting, applauding supporters over the past two weekends.
People who gather for hours before the speeches, given over the front gates
of Suu Kyi's home, say they have shown up recently to give support to Suu
Kyi and the democracy movement in the face of the new SLORC crackdown.
The speeches cover a wide variety of subjects, but over the past few
weekends Suu Kyi has spoken of the NLD's plans to step up the momentum in
its efforts to bring democracy to Burma.
The party won a landlide victory in a 1990 general election, but the results
were never recognised by the SLORC.
One of its most immediate goals is to write up its own version of a
constitution, directly challenging the SLORC's ongoing convention of mostly
hand-picked delegates who have met since 1993 to draft a new constitution.
The NLD angered the SLORC last November when it pulled out of the
convention, claiming it did not represent the will of the people.
Over the past three weeks the SLORC, which assumed power in 1988 after
crushing pro-democracy uprisings, has stepped up pressure on the NLD.
In mid-May SLORC arrested more than 250 NLD politicians planning to attend a
party congress, and over the past few weeks it has warned in official media
the party could be outlawed and its members sent to prison if it continues
its policies.
The party has since held its congress anyway and vowed to push harder for
democracy and draft its own charter.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




08Jun96 USA: U.S. CALLS ON BURMA TO HALT "PRESSURE TACTICS". 02:05 GMT  
By Patricia Wilson
WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuter) - The Clinton administration on Friday urged
Burma to stop its "pressure tactics" against democratic opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi and said it would dispatch two U.S. envoys to the region
this weekend.
The emissaries, William Brown and Stanley Roth, will visit Japan and several
Southeast Asian nations to discuss a co-ordinated response to the brewing
political tensions in Burma, the White House said.
Burma's military rulers passed a tough new law on Friday that effectively
muzzles Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi and her opposition party from saying or doing
anything contrary to the government's planned new constitution.
The State Department called on the military government, which took power in
1988 after crushing pro-democracy uprisings, to "cease and desist in its
pressure tactics against the democrats in Burma."
"Aung San Suu Kyi has a right, under international law, and under any
reasonable standard of decency, to speak out about conditions in her own
country," State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said.
"She also has a right to expect that her compatriots, who were arrested over
the past two weeks, should be released from government detention," he added.
Government-appointed delegates have spent three years drafting guidelines
for a new constitution for Burma. The new law prohibits any disruption of
that official effort.
The law follows blunt warnings, mostly through official media, that Suu
Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party could be declared illegal if
it followed through on plans announced last month to draw up its own
constitution for a democratic Burma.
Under the new law, anyone drafting their own version of a constitution could
face a prison sentence of up to 20 years and fines.
Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, was freed from six years of
house arrest last July by Burma's military government. Since then popular
political gatherings have been held outside her house with crowds of up to
10,000 people.
The two U.S. envoys would consult with government officials in Bangkok,
Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore, Manila and Tokyo from June 10-17, the
White House said.
They will be accompanied by Dennis Harter, director of the Office of Burma,
Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam Affairs at the State Department.
Brown is a retired career foreign service officer with almost 40 years of
service. He held the post of ambassador to Thailand from 1988 to 1992 and
served as deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific
Affairs from 1983 to 1985.
Roth is director of research and studies at the United States Institute for
Peace. He was special assistant to the president for Asian affairs at the
National Security Council from 1994-95. Previously he served as deputy
assistant secretary of defence for East Asia and Pacific Affairs.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




07Jun96 GERMANY: BONN SLAMS BURMA FOR GAGGING SUU KYI. 18:50 GMT  
BONN, June 7 (Reuter) - German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel on Friday
slammed Burma for a new law muzzling opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and
her party, calling it a "new low-point in the domestic and human rights
situation" in the country.
The law prohibits anyone or any organisation from speaking out against the
government in any way that would disturb the current policies of the
military government.
Apparently aimed at Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, it also
prohibits anyone from disrupting government moves to draw up a new constitution.
In a statement, Kinkel called the move "a further attempt by the generals of
the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) to maintain
dictatorial power".
"This move shows that the generals are only interested in holding on to
power and not in bringing about the national reconciliation which the
overwhelming majority of the people want," he added.
"I urge the military government to release all political prisoners without
preconditions and to refrain from doing anything which could lead events to
escalate.
"The future of the country can only be assured through a substantive
dialogue with the democratic opposition, whose representative is Nobel peace
prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi."  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




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