NLD update (r)

[dvb@xxxxx]

08Jun96 FRANCE: FRANCE RAPS BURMA ON NEW LAW MUZZLING OPPONENTS. 13:18 GMT  
PARIS, June 8 (Reuter) - France criticised Burma's military government on
Saturday for imposing a sweeping new law muzzling opponents and said that
only dialogue could lead the country to national reconciliation.
"France again expresses its concern at Burma's domestic situation following
the recent measures taken by Burmese authorities," the Foreign Ministry said
in a statement.
"It reaffirms that the start of a true dialogue is the only way of launching
the country on the road of national reconciliation," it added.
The new law passed on Friday, apparently aimed at Aung San Suu Kyi's
National League for Democracy party, prohibits anyone from saying or doing
anything considered contrary to the plans of the ruling State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) to write a new constitution.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
 08Jun96 SUU KYI MAKES CALL FOR DEMOCRACY DESPITE NEW LAW. 12:51 GMT  
(Recasts with Suu Kyi speech, adds quotes)
By Aung Hla Tun
RANGOON, June 8 (Reuter) - Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on
Saturday she remained committed to bringing democracy to Burma, but avoided
direct criticism of the military government after it imposed a sweeping new
law muzzling opponents.
Her regular weekly address brought thousands of supporters to the street
outside her home, despite fears the authorities would try to prevent the speech.
The new law passed on Friday, apparently aimed at Suu Kyi's National League
for Democracy (NLD) party, prohibits anyone from saying or doing anything
considered contrary to the plans of the ruling State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) to write a new constitution.
Suu Kyi told about 4,000 cheering and applauding supporters the NLD would
continue its efforts to bring democracy to Burma and insisted the party had
not violated any laws.
"Working for democracy is not attacking anyone. We once promised the people
the NLD will keep on striving and struggling until democracy is obtained and
we cannot go back on this promise," Suu Kyi said.
"We must persevere. Perseverance and courage go hand in hand," she said.
"We never said a word to undermine the stability of the state," Suu Kyi told
the crowd, apparently referring to the new law which threatens to arrest
people and outlaw parties who disrupt national stability and peace.
She did not comment further on the law and avoided direct criticism of SLORC.
She made no reference to a promise made last month that the NLD would write
a democratic constitution to rival the pro-military charter now being drawn
up by a SLORC-appointed   convention.  The military said on Friday writing
an alternative constitution was illegal and any one doing so could face up
to 20 years in prison. Any party found guilty of violating the law faced
being banned.  Tensions between the SLORC and the NLD have risen since May,
when the government arrested more than 250 NLD politicians in an attempt to
block the party from holding its first congress since Suu Kyi's release last
July from six years of house arrest.  In her speech, Suu Kyi read some
responses received as a result of a request she made last week for
supporters to give examples of positive actions made by the SLORC, since the
government complained Suu Kyi only said bad things about them.  Suu Kyi
agreed with a suggestion that the SLORC had conducted a free and fair
democratic election in 1990. The NLD won the poll by a landslide, but never
was allowed to take power because the SLORC did not recognise the results of
the vote. Another positive action taken by the SLORC was the liberalisation
of the economy, Suu Kyi said, noting the NLD had supported a market economy
since the party was founded in 1988.  Freeing of political prisoners like
Suu Kyi and her top NLD colleagues was also another positive move, she said.
"It is honourable for a country to say it has no political prisoners," she
said. The only difference in Saturday's gathering from previous weeks was
the absence of traffic police and barricades which have been used over the
past few months to keep the crowds from spilling out onto busy University
Avenue.  About 30 members of the NLD youth wing linked arms to control the
crowd and keep the traffic flowing. A SLORC official said last week the
government was concerned the weekly gatherings were a traffic nuisance.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE

08Jun96 BURMA: SUU KYI SPEAKS TO THOUSANDS DESPITE NEW LAW. 11:30 GMT  
RANGOON, June 8 (Reuter) - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on
Saturday defied tough new laws muzzling opposition parties and spoke to
thousands of supporters gathered on the street outside her residence.
Suu Kyi gave her regular speech just a day after the military government
passed a sweeping new law, which appeared to be aimed directly at her party,
prohibiting anyone from saying or doing anything considered contrary to the
government's plans to write a new constitution.  
In her speech Suu Kyi avoided criticising the ruling State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) which said in its law enacted on Friday it would
arrest people and outlaw parties which disrupted the stability and peace of
the nation.
"We never said a word to undermine the stability of the state," Suu Kyi told
a crowd of about 4,000 people, apparently referring to the new law. She did
not comment further on the new ruling but said she would once the party had
discussed it.
The gathering went on as it has over the past few weeks, with no arrests or
attempts by authorities to prevent it. The one difference was the absence of
traffic police and barricades used over the past few months to keep the
crowds from spilling out onto busy University Avenue.
Tensions between the SLORC and Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD)
party have been rising since May, when the government arrested more than 250
NLD politicians in an attempt to block the NLD from holding its first
congress since Suu Kyi's release last July from six years of house arrest.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




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