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VOA ON BURMA/ARRESTS
- Subject: VOA ON BURMA/ARRESTS
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 18:36:00
DATE=5/21/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-214573
TITLE=BURMA / ARRESTS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MATTHEW CHANCE
DATELINE= BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: REPORTS FROM BURMA SAY THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES HAVE
ARRESTED AT LEAST FIFTY LEADING OPPOSITION FIGURES. MATTHEW
CHANCE REPORTS FROM BANGKOK, THE ARRESTS COME AS BURMESE
PRO-DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNERS PREPARE TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY OF
THEIR 1990 ELECTION VICTORY, WHICH WAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE
MILITARY.
TEXT: THE REPORTS OF WIDE SCALE ARRESTS ARE BEING MADE BY A
SENIOR OFFICIAL OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY -- OR N-L-D
-- THE PARTY LED BY THE NOBEL LAUREATE, AUNG SAN SUU KYI.
THE OFFICIAL SAYS THE BURMESE MILITARY AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN
STEPPING-UP ARRESTS OF OPPOSITION FIGURES IN RECENT DAYS,
INCLUDING SEVERAL ELECTED MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. THE MILITARY
GOVERNMENT -- KNOWN AS THE STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION
COUNCIL -- IS REPORTED TO BE CLAMPING-DOWN ON OPPOSITION ACTIVITY
IN ADVANCE OF PLANNED CELEBRATIONS ON MAY 27TH, MARKING THE
N-L-D'S 1990 ELECTION VICTORY. THE BALLOT RESULTS WERE NEVER
ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS CONTINUED ITS
RULE IN BURMA, WHILE SAYING IT IS PREPARING THE COUNTRY FOR
DEMOCRACY.
THE ARRESTS COME AS THE UNITED STATES IMPOSES TOUGH ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS ON BURMA, SAYING THE COUNTRY'S RULERS ARE GUILTY OF
SERIOUS ABUSES OF HUMAN RIGHTS. IN A SPEECH TO CONGRESS,
PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID THE SANCTIONS ARE IN RESPONSE TO A
DEEPENING PATTERN OF SEVERE REPRESSION IN BURMA. HE SAID THE
COUNTRY'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO SUPPRESS DEMOCRACY AND
ALLOW A FLOW OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS TO PASS THROUGH BURMA INTO THE
INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRADE.
HOWEVER, STRIKING A NOTE OF CONCILIATION, PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID
BURMA'S ISOLATION FROM THE UNITED STATES IS NOT INEVITABLE. AND
HE HINTED THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES COULD
EVENTUALLY IMPROVE. ANALYSTS SAY WASHINGTON'S ATTEMPTS TO
PRESSURE THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES IN BURMA WITH ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS MAY PRODUCE ONLY MIXED RESULTS. SOME U-S BUSINESSES --
SUCH AS THE SOFT DRINK GIANT PEPSICO -- HAVE ALREADY PULLED OUT
OF BURMA DUE TO ADVERSE PUBLIC OPINION. BUT THE U-S SANCTIONS
APPLY ONLY TO NEW INVESTMENTS AND WILL NOT NECESSARILY AFFECT
COMPANIES ALREADY DOING BUSINESS IN BURMA. (SIGNED)
NEB/MC/SFT/FC/MMK