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U.S. STRONGLY CONDEMNS HARSH BURMA
- Subject: U.S. STRONGLY CONDEMNS HARSH BURMA
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 18:14:00
The United States condemns SPDC for harsh sentences of the
opposition.Following is in detail regarding the condemnation.
Sincerely,
Julien Moe
--------------------
FILE ID:97121601.EEA
DATE:12/16/97
TITLE:16-12-97 TEXT: U.S. STRONGLY CONDEMNS HARSH BURMA OPPOSITION SENTENCES
TEXT:
(Calls on ruling junta to release political prisoners) (410)
Washington -- The U.S. strongly condemns the harsh sentences meted out
to seven members of Burma's democratic opposition party, the National
League for Democracy (NLD), for "disturbing the public or law and
order."
In a statement released December 16, State Department Deputy Spokesman
James B. Foley said: "We had hoped that the recent restructuring of
Burma's military junta might lead to long-promised political reforms,
and especially create new opportunities to begin a meaningful dialogue
aimed at national reconciliation with the National League for
Democracy, other democratic parties and Burma's ethnic minorities.
However, it appears that repression and dictatorship remain the
hallmarks of the ruling junta."
Burma's ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC),
was previously called the State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC).
Following is the text of the statement:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
December 16, 1997
STATEMENT BY JAMES B. FOLEY, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN
BURMA: SENTENCING OF DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION MEMBERS
On December 9, six members of the democratic opposition party, the
National League for Democracy (NLD), were sentenced to six years in
prison for "disturbing the public or law and order" and a seventh was
sentenced to eight years. All seven were detained last month in
connection with attempts by the NLD to hold organizational meetings in
various Rangoon townships.
The U.S. strongly condemns these harsh sentences. The fact that such
sentences were imposed after closed trials, in which the defendants'
rights to legal counsel were limited and due process denied, once
again demonstrates that the judicial process in Burma is opaque,
arbitrary and subject to political manipulation. We vigorously call on
the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to release all
political prisoners immediately and to cease its continued harassment
and punishment of members of democratic opposition parties for
activities which are fully consistent with their organizations' status
as legal political parties.
We had hoped that the recent restructuring of Burma's military junta
might lead to long-promised political reforms, and especially create
new opportunities to begin a meaningful dialogue aimed at national
reconciliation with the National League for Democracy, other
democratic parties and Burma's ethnic minorities. However, it appears
that repression and dictatorship remain the hallmarks of the ruling
junta.