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Latest News On 2 Burmese patriots'
- Subject: Latest News On 2 Burmese patriots'
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:20:00
DATE=4/29/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230431
TITLE=BURMA / SENTENCES (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TWO BURMESE POLITICAL ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO
DEATH. A BURMESE EXILE GROUP SAYS THE CONDEMNED WERE ENGAGING
ONLY IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY, BUT THE RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT
SAYS THEY WERE PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE HIGH-RANKING MEMBERS OF
THE GOVERNMENT. CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR
SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT: IN A STATEMENT ISSUED IN BANGKOK, THE "ALL-BURMA STUDENTS'
DEMOCRATIC FRONT" SAYS THE RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN
TWO STUDENT ACTIVISTS THE DEATH PENALTY.
THE GROUP, AN ORGANIZATION OF BURMESE EXILES, SAYS KO THEIN, ALSO
KNOWN AS THEIN HUN, AND KHIN HLAING WERE SENTENCED BY A SPECIAL
COURT NEAR RANGOON'S INSEIN PRISON EARLY THIS MONTH.
ACCORDING TO THE FRONT, THE PENALTY IS USUALLY CARRIED OUT BY
HANGING.
THE GROUP SAYS THE COURT ALSO SENTENCED 38 OTHER PEOPLE TO PRISON
TERMS RANGING FROM THREE TO 14-YEARS. IT SAYS THE TRIALS WERE
HELD IN SECRET WITH NO LEGAL REPRESENTATION ALLOWED.
THE GROUP SAYS ALL 40 ARE STUDENT ACTIVISTS WHO WERE ARRESTED IN
JANUARY FOR PEACEFUL POLITICAL ACTIVITY. THE FRONT SAYS THREE OF
THEM WERE ARRESTED FOR TRYING TO CONTACT U-N SPECIAL ENVOY ON
HUMAN RIGHTS ALVARO DE SOTO DURING HIS VISIT TO BURMA.
MR. DE SOTO WAS DISPATCHED TO BURMA BY U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI
ANNAN EARLY THIS YEAR TO ASSESS THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION AND TO
TRY TO PROMOTE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE COUNTRY'S RULING GENERALS
AND THE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT.
GOVERNMENT COMMENT ON THE STATEMENTS BY THE ALL-BURMA STUDENTS'
DEMOCRATIC FRONT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. BUT BURMA'S
GOVERNMENT HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID THOSE ARRESTED WERE PART OF A PLOT
TO ASSASSINATE MEMBERS OF THE RULING STATE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
COUNCIL.
THE ALL-BURMA STUDENTS' DEMOCRATIC FRONT WAS FOUNDED BY STUDENTS
WHO FLED THE 1988 CRACKDOWN IN WHICH THOUSANDS OF PRO-DEMOCRACY
DEMONSTRATORS WERE KILLED OR ARRESTED. THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT
HAS LABELED THE GROUP A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AND ACCUSED IT OF
WORKING FOR THE VIOLENT OVERTHROW OF THE GOVERNMENT.
THE GROUP DENIES THE GOVERNMENT'S ACCUSATIONS AND SAYS IT ONLY
ENGAGES IN NON-VIOLENT POLITICAL ACTIVITY. (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/RAE
29-Apr-98 7:46 AM EDT (1146 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.