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THE ASIAN AGE, DECEMBER 15



NLD LEADERS WERE FORCED TO RESIGN, SAYS PARTY
 
The Asian Age, New Delhi
December 15, 1997
 
'JUNTA HARASSED THEIR FAMILIES TOO'
 
Rangoon, Dec. 14: Burma's military authorities have forced 19 members of
the main Opposition National League for Democracy in the country's nothern
Kachin state to resign from the party, a top party official said on
Sunday.
 
"They give too much harassment to our members, particularly among the
ethnic groups, and they are forced to resign," said the official, a close
associate of party leader Aung San Suu Kyi. An official information sheet
issued by the junta on Sunday said the 19 from Myitkyina township of
Kachin state had sent a letter of resigination to NLD party chairman Aung
Shwe in Rangoon on Friday.
 
The reason for their resignation was not clear, it said and cited party
sources as saying copies of the resignation latter had also been sent by
the NLD Myitkyina organizing committee to the local election commission
office. The NLD senior official said the party had yet to receive any such
letter in the Burmese capital. He charged that party representatives from
the Kachin state had been prevented from attending an NLD congress at the
Rangoon home of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi in September.
 
The members had faced persecution from the authorities, the official said,
adding their families had also suffered, being denied schooling and health
care because they were relatives of party members. The government
regularly announces the resignation of NLD members and elected
parliamentarians, invariably saying they have stood down from the party
voluntarily. (AFP)
 
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JAILING OF NLD MEMBERS CRITICIZED
 
Rangoon, Dec. 14: Burma's Opposition National League for Democracy on
Saturday lashed out at the military government for recently sentencing
seven party members to long prison terms.
 
The NLD said the sentencing was illegal, called for their members'
immediate release and the release of all other political prisoners.
 
Last week Burma's State Peace Development Council said it had sentenced
seven NLD members, including two who were elected as members of Parliament
for the NLD in an annulled 1990 election, to long prison terms.
 
The SPDC said they were charged with disturbing the public and law and
order. One was also charged with violating the gambling Act. Six were
sentenced to six-year terms while the seventh was sentenced to eight
years. The SPDC said nothing about an eighth NLD member, Daw San San, also
a member of Parliament, who was arrested at the same time. All eight were
detained last month in connection with organizational trips, planned by
Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in townships on the outskirts of
Rangoon.
 
One of the meetings was allowed to take place, but the former ruling State
Law and Order Restoration Council stopped several others. Club-wielding
officers pushed away supporters, set up barricades and trucked away dozens
of NLD members and supporters to prevent the meetings from taking place.
(Reuter)
 
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