[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BURMA'S SUU KYI HELD ARMED FORCES D
- Subject: BURMA'S SUU KYI HELD ARMED FORCES D
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 18:59:00
Subject: BURMA'S SUU KYI HELD ARMED FORCES DAY IN HER WAY
DATE=3/27/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-212084
TITLE=BURMA-ARMED FORCES DAY (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT CELEBRATED ARMED FORCES DAY
THURSDAY, AN EVENT COMMEMORATING THE START OF THE STRUGGLE FOR
INDEPENDENCE. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF RANGOON, PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER
AUNG SAN SUU KYI HELD HER OWN COMMEMORATION WITH A VERY DIFFERENT
SLANT. VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST
ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT: SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY NEAR THE FAMED SHWEDAGON PAGODA,
GENERAL THAN SHWE, HEAD OF THE RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT, CALLED
ON ASSEMBLED TROOPS TO IN HIS WORDS -- "ANNIHILATE THE SUBVERSIVE
ELEMENTS" IN BURMESE SOCIETY. HE SAID THEY SHOULD OPPOSE AND
CRUSH WHAT HE CALLED THE "INSTIGATORS AND FALSE PROPAGANDA OF
INTERNAL TRAITORS AND NEOCOLONIALISTS."
THAN SHWE MADE HIS COMMENTS DURING A PARADE OF MASSED TROOPS ON
BURMA'S 52ND ARMED FORCES DAY. THE DAY HONORS THE RESISTANCE
STRUGGLE AGAINST JAPANESE OCCUPATION DURING WORLD WAR TWO.
THE INVITATION LIST TO THE CEREMONY AT RESISTANCE PARK WAS
LIMITED TO THE COUNTRY'S GENERALS, FOREIGN DIPLOMATS, WORLD WAR
TWO VETERANS, AND LEADERS OF BURMA'S ETHNIC GROUPS. TIGHT
SECURITY MEASURES KEPT THE PUBLIC WELL AWAY. HELICOPTERS CIRCLED
OVER THE PARADE ROUTE AS MASSED TROOPS MARCHED BY. THE PARADE
WAS BROADCAST ON STATE-RUN TELEVISION.
THE WOMAN AT WHOM THAN SHWE'S REMARKS WERE AIMED, HELD HER OWN
CEREMONY ACROSS TOWN. PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAD
INVITED ABOUT TWO-THOUSAND PEOPLE TO HER ALTERNATIVE CELEBRATION,
AT HER LAKESIDE COMPOUND. BUT GOVERNMENT SECURITY FORCES TURNED
MOST OF THEM AWAY.
ABOUT 700 PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED PAST SECURITY BARRICADES TO ATTEND
THE CEREMONY, WHERE AUNG SAN SUU KYI HANDED OUT CERTIFICATES TO
MEMBERS OF HER NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY WHO FOUGHT IN THE
ANTI-JAPANESE RESISTANCE, INCLUDING LEAGUE VICE-CHAIRMAN TIN OO
AND KYI MAUNG.
IN HER REMARKS, THE PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER LINKED HER STRUGGLE WITH
THE WORLD WAR TWO RESISTANCE MOVEMENT. SHE SAID THAT RESISTANCE
MEANS FIGHTING FOR CHANGE AND OPPOSING OPPRESSION. SHE SAID
BURMA IS GOING THROUGH WHAT SHE CALLED A "DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION"
AND VOWED TO CONTINUE ON UNTIL VICTORY.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S FATHER LED THE RESISTANCE AGAINST THE
JAPANESE, AFTER INITIALLY ALLYING HIMSELF WITH THEM IN A BID TO
END BRITISH RULE IN BURMA. HE LATER LED THE STRUGGLE FOR
INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN. HE WAS ASSASSINATED IN 1947.
ARMED FORCES DAY HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE DAY WHEN CHANGES IN
THE GOVERNMENT ARE MADE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO ANNOUNCEMENT OF
ANY CHANGES IN THE LINEUP OF THE RULING STATE LAW AND ORDER
RESTORATION COUNCIL. THERE HAD BEEN MUCH SPECULATION AMONG
JOURNALISTS AND DIPLOMATS, IN ADVANCE OF THE OCCASION, THAT
POSSIBLE FEUDING BETWEEN HARDLINERS AND PRAGMATISTS MIGHT LEAD TO
SOME SHAKEUP IN THE HIERARCHY. (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/FC/CF