BURMA'S SUU KYI HELD ARMED FORCES D

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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