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BURMA/POLITICS...VOA NEWS



DATE=10/28/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-221802
TITLE=BURMA / POLITICS (L ONLY) 
BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER
DATELINE=BANGKOK 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO: BURMESE RIOT POLICE TODAY (TUESDAY) DISRUPTED A MEETING  
BETWEEN DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND YOUNG SUPPORTERS, 
IN A  SUBURB NORTH OF THE CAPITAL, RANGOON.  AS DAVID BUTLER 
REPORTS FROM  OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK, THE CLASH 
COMES DESPITE THE GENERALLY MORE CONCILIATORY ATTITUDE BURMA'S  
RULING MILITARY HAS RECENTLY BEEN TAKING TOWARD AUNG SAN SUU KYI 
AND HER FOLLOWERS.

TEXT: AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND TWO LEADING OFFICIALS OF HER NATIONAL 
LEAGUE  FOR DEMOCRACY PARTY -- THE N-L-D -- HAD PLANNED TO MEET 
WITH PARTY FOLLOWERS  IN MAYANGON TOWNSHIP, JUST ONE KILOMETER 
NORTH OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S  HOME.

WHEN AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S MOTORCADE STOPPED AT A POLICE CHECKPOINT 
NEAR THE SUBURBAN OFFICE, ABOUT A DOZEN OF HER FOLLOWERS RUSHED 
HER WHITE  SEDAN.

RIOT POLICE ENCIRCLED THE ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG PEOPLE AND HERDED 
THEM  AWAY.

REPORTERS ACCOMPANYING AUNG SAN SUU KYI WERE ALSO RESTRAINED BY 
THE  BATON-WIELDING RIOT POLICE AND SO DID NOT SEE THE RESULT OF 
THE  CONFRONTATION BETWEEN POLICE AND THE YOUNG N-L-D ACTIVISTS.

THE YOUNG ACTIVISTS WERE LATER RELEASED AND AUNG SAN SUU KYI HELD
A  BRIEF MEETING WITH HER FOLLOWERS IN THE MAYANGON OFFICE.

LATE LAST MONTH THE N-L-D WAS ALLOWED TO CONVENE ITS FIRST  
UNINTERRUPTED PARTY CONGRESS, SINCE AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAS RELEASED
FROM HOUSE ARREST MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO.  THE CONGRESS WAS HELD
AT HER COMPOUND IN A UNIVERSITY DISTRICT IN NORTHERN RANGOON.

A WEEK AGO, THE 1991 NOBEL LAUREATE MET WITH YOUNG SUPPORTERS AT 
ANOTHER N-L-D PARTY OFFICE IN THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF THE 
CAPITAL.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAID THEN THAT SHE PLANNED TO VISIT PARTY 
OFFICES  THROUGHOUT BURMA TO STRENGTHEN THE YOUTH WING OF HER 
PARTY.

ALSO LAST WEEK, PHILIPPINES FOREIGN MINISTER DOMINGO SIAZON -- 
WHO WAS  TRAVELING WITH PRESIDENT FERDINAND RAMOS -- MET WITH 
AUNG SAN SUU KYI AT HER RANGOON HOME.

BURMESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DENIED THE MEETING TOOK PLACE, BUT  
DIPLOMATS IN RANGOON CONFIRMED THAT IT DID.

THE DIPLOMATS AND OTHER ANALYSTS SAY THE RECENT CONCILIATORY  
GESTURES TOWARDS AUNG SAN SUU KYI BY THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL 
ARE A  RESULT OF QUIET PRESSURE FROM THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE 
ASSOCIATION OF  SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS, WHICH BURMA JOINED IN 
JULY.

THE SAME ANALYSTS SAY IT IS TOO EARLY TO JUDGE WHETHER TUESDAY'S 
CONFRONTATION MARKED A CHANGE IN POLICY TOWARD THE LEADING 
OPPOSITION PERSONALITY, BY THE RULING STATE LAW AND  ORDER 
RESTORATION COUNCIL .  (SIGNED)

NEB/DB/FC

28-Oct-97 4:10 AM EST (0910 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
 .