Bangkok post (02/6/98) news

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News headlines
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1:) Junta urged to learn from Suharto's fall
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Junta urged to learn from Suharto's fall
Indonesia's model called 'fatally flawed'

A Burmese opposition group yesterday warned the country's ruling junta it
faced the same faced as fallen Indonesian president Suharto if it failed to
implement wide-ranging reforms.
	The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), as the junta is officially
known, was long an ally of Mr. Suharto and used his 32-year reign over
Indonesia as a model for Burma.
	But the opposition National Council of the Union of Myanmar said Mr.
Suharto's resignation two weeks ago amid violent social unrest proved the
model was fatally flawed and predicted a similar uprising in Burma if the
junta followed its current path.
	"It is a matter of extreme lack of foresight and regressive thinking on
the part of the SPDC military clique to view, as their future, the
Indonesian model, which is retrogressive and contrary to ---historical
development," the opposition group said in a statement received here.
	"As this aggressive Indonesian model of Suharto has been thoroughly
crushed and immersed in shame by the heroic students and people of
Indonesia, it is necessary for the top leaders of the SPDC to cull a lesson
from the development without delay.
	"If the SPDC military leaders are insensible and respecting the will of
the people, it would be impossible for them to avoid following the path of
Dictator Suharto.
	"The country now has all the concrete political and economic elements for
the outbreak of such a violent storm of movement in the near future," it
added.
	The opposition group demanded the SPDC cease military action against
ethnic minorities, some of which continue to mount armed resistance to the
government, and begin dialogue with the National League for Democracy and
other political parties. 

-----Agence Franch Presse (news) -------------