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News on "The Asian Age", 3/1/97.
The news on The Asian Age (3/1/97).
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1). Suu Kyi blasts restrictions on her as very silly
2). Burma' to keep schools closed to quell unrest
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Suu Kyi blasts restrictions on her as very silly
Rangoon, Jan. 2: A top Burmese official said on Thursday that
restrictions would remain on democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi for her
own safety, a statement dismissed by the Nobel Peace laureate as "very
silly."
Senior intelligence official Colonel Them Swe said the decision made in
early December following student unrest to require Ms Suu Kyi to inform
the government of her movements and visitors was made to protect, not
inconvenience, her.
"We are concerned for her. We are responsible for her safety, and if
something happens to her we have to take the blame," Col. Them Swe said
after the monthly news briefing of the ruling State Law and Order
Restoration Council.
He told the news conference he did not know when the restrictions might
be lifted, saying only it would be when the situation normalised. But Ms
Suu Kyi, who was released from six years of house arrest in July 1995,
told reporters on Thursday it was "silly" to presume the restrictions
were imposed for her benefit.
"That's a very silly thing to say. 1 don't take them seriously and hope
you don't either," she said. "I don't think they are helping me in any way."
Ms Suu Kyi has to advise officials of her social plans. and they make
arrangements for her to travel to places within Rangoon or allow visitors
past the traffic blockades from entering her street.
SLORC officials in early December placed restrictions on Ms Suu Kyi
following a wave a protests, when several thousand students took to the
street in rare demonstrations against the military authorities.
The government has accused Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy of
eliciting the student protests. NLD officials and the students have
denied any collaboration between the groups.
Another senior intelligence official, Col. Kyaw Thein, said there could
be some links between the student unrest and the December 25 incident
when two time bombs exploded at a Buddhist site in Rangoon. (Reuter)
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Burma' to keep schools closed to quell unrest
Rangoon, Jan. 2: Burma's military government will keep some universities
closed to prevent a recurrence of student unrest as it continues
investigations into last month's demonstrations and bombings, senior
officials said on Thursday.
The officials told a monthly news conference that the ruling State Law
and Order Restoration Council was still trying to determine who was
responsible for two bombings on December 25 at a Buddhist shrine. The
blasts killed five and wounded 17. They said the bombings could be
linked with demonstrations in early December,. (Reuter)