ABFSU Statement

[lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

All Burma Federation of Student Union (ABFSU) Central Organising Committee
(Acting)

Announcement No 3/98 June 28, 1998

26 June, 1998

The All Burma Federation of  Students' Union (ABFSU) regrets to learn that,
on June 25, 1998, four National League for Democracy  (NLD) members
suffered head injuries as junta's riot police violently attacked 50 NLD
members, particularly youths and students, who came to attend a reading
secession which has been organised at Daw Aung San Suu Kyi residence every
weekend. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly was also injured in the military's
renewed attack on pro-democracy movement. These youths who were attacked
were not allowed to enter Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's compound by the military
and engaged in a stand-off  in the rain from 2:00 PM until 9:00 AM the next
morning.

The ABFSU believes that the NLD, which overwhelming won the general
election of 1990, has the legal rights of free speech, organising,
activities and publications. However, the SPDC does not respect these
rights but marginalises the NLD by the consistence practices of imposing
unjust restrictions, intimidation, arrests, and jailing its members,
including honorable elected MPs. We strongly denounce the SPDC Generals for
their continuation of such illegal practices which are contrary to their
rhetoric of prevailing democracy and for maintenance of law, justice and
equality in the country.  We demand that junta immediately discontinue this
harassment and guarantee the political rights of the NLD.

We, the ABFSU, hand in hand with the people of Burma, commit ourselves to
the  unfinished struggle.  We join with other unions -- workers, farmers,
monks, and literature and arts unions - as well as with ethnic groups and
other pro-democracy groups which have for too long been deprived of their
rights, in calling for an end to military dictatorship, a restoration of
democracy, and respect for human rights.

The ABSFU is the historical student organisation founded on May 8, 1938,
amidst the struggle for independence, under the leadership of independence
heroes of Burma including Gen. Aung San. The ABFSU has a long history of
working together with people of Burma from different walks of life.  We
struggled to resist fascism, to gain nation independence, to create an
internal peace movement, and now we continue in the pro-democracy struggle.
The ABFSU went under ground when its headquarters at Rangoon University
(main campus) was demolished on July 7, 1962 during the Gen. Ne Win-led
military coup against the democratically elected U Nu government. Despite
violent attacks by successive military juntas, the ABFSU continues its
struggle for students rights, academic rights, educational rights and the
establishment of student unions.  Our struggle will go on until these
goals, for which our previous generations sacrificed, are completely
fulfilled.

Central Organising Committee (Acting) ABFSU Rangoon