NEWS- Myanmar Junta Aims to Create

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Myanmar Junta Aims to Create New Middle Class

               Reuters
               11-FEB-98
               By Sutin Wannabovorn 

               YANGON, Feb 11 (Reuters) -
               Myanmar's (Burma's) ruling military
               junta aims to create a new middle
               class in the country which is vital for
               economic revival and for democracy
               to flourish in coming years, a
               government spokesman said on
               Wednesday. 

               The State Peace and Development
               Council (SPDC) believed that a
               middle class was necessary before
               people could engage in a multi-party
               democratic system that was
               envisaged for Myanmar in the future,
               the spokesman Colonel Hla Min told
               Reuters. 

               The SPDC came into being late last
               year, after the former government
               called the State Law and Order
               Restoration Council (SLORC)
               changed its name following a
               reshuffle of key military personalities
               in government. 

               ``We believe that in the coming
               phase, our new constitution will be
               drafted and we will concentrate on
               our economy. We hope we may be
               able to create a strong middle class
               and in order to do that we have to
               have a stable and strong economy,''
               he said. 

               The spokesman said he could not set
               a time frame for the achievement of
               the objective but said: ``I stress that a
               strong middle class is very important.
               Without a strong middle class
               democracy will not function.'' 

               Most of Myanmar's 43 million people
               live in poverty and there is a big
               social gap between them and the
               relatively small ruling and business
               elite. 

               The SPDC is locked in a stand-off
               with the main opposition National
               league for Democracy led by Nobel
               laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta
               has blocked the party's political
               activities, curbed Suu Kyi's
               movements and detained and later
               released hundreds of political
               activists. 

               The military came to power in a
               bloody coup in September 1988
               when it violently suppressed
               pro-democracy protests, killing and
               detaining many protesters. 

               In a 1990 general election, the NLD
               won a landslide victory but the result
               was ignored by the junta which has
               since ruled the country with an iron
               fist. 

               Colonel Hla Min said the political
               situation in Myanmar was quietly
               stable despite the NLD's activism.
               ``At this moment we are more
               interested in economic
               development,'' he added. 

               Tin Oo, NLD vice chairman, told
               Reuters he had noted some positive
               signs following the visit of the U.N.
               special envoy Alvaro De Soto to
               Yangon last month. 

               The envoy, who came to explore
               prospects for speedy elections in
               Myanmar, met Suu Kyi after holding
               talks with the government but he
               declined to reveal any details. 

               Tin Oo said the U.N. special envoy
               had recognised the role of the NLD
               leader and accepted some conditions
               proposed by Suu Kyi for greater
               democracy in the country. 

               ``The UN has recognised us and is
               trying all means to help solve the
               political stalemate,'' said Tin Oo.
               ``Compared to a previous UN visit it
               was a little bit better and I saw some
               light out of it.'' 

               The Association of Southeast Asian
               Nations (ASEAN) which accepted
               Myanmar as a member last year
               should also recognise the NLD as the
               legitimate opposition party in
               Myanmar, he said.