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Reuters : Myanmar junta blasts U.S.



Myanmar junta blasts U.S. for Suu Kyi comments 
11:59 a.m. Jul 27, 1998 Eastern 

YANGON, Myanmar (Reuters) - Myanmar's ruling military junta hit back at the
United States on Monday for criticism of its treatment of opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi. 

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said on Monday she was ``gravely
concerned'' about the health and safety of Suu Kyi and would hold Myanmar's
military government responsible for her welfare. 

Albright, in Manila for a regional diplomatic meeting, also said there was
an increasing possibility of a political ``explosion'' in Myanmar that
could undermine regional stability. 

``We believe that freedom of movement is fundamental and that its denial
can only increase the already dangerous state of tension in Burma,'' she
said on the sidelines of a regional diplomatic meeting in Manila. 

Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for democracy (NLD) and a Nobel
Peace Prize winner, spent a fourth day on Monday in her car at the
southwestern village of Anyarsu about 64 km (20 miles) from Yangon to
protest against government moves to stop her from meeting her party
members. 

She has refused to budge from the spot where she was stopped by authorities
early on Friday and has rejected a request by the ruling junta to return to
her home in Yangon. 

``The accusations, allegations and condemnations thrown against Myanmar is
a typical way of a sole superpower carrying out a witch hunt and acting as
a judge, jury and executioner at the same time to justify her own unfair
activities,'' the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) said in
a statement. 



The SPDC said U.S. criticism of Myanmar was designed to coincide with
meetings of foreign ministers of the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) in Manila now underway. 

Myanmar is a member of the nine-member regional grouping along with Brunei,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam. 

``Actually, this is the line Mrs. Albright is currently taking in Manila.
It is also nothing surprising since we have already anticipated these
moves,'' the SPDC statement said. 

``After all it is a concerted and timely fashion-action tailored to
coincide with the ASEAN Ministers Meeting in order for U.S. to berate
Myanmar at the meeting,'' it said. 

The NLD issued a statement saying there was some cause for concern over the
health of Suu Kyi and U Hla Pe, the NLD's central executive member, as they
had been under unlawful restrictions since early Friday. 

``In case Aung San Suu Kyi becomes ill, she will undergo medical treatment
at her residence with her doctors only. She will not undergo (it) at other
places under anyone's arrangement,'' the NLD said. 

The SPDC has accused Suu Kyi and the NLD of turning a deaf ear to
authorities' appeals to refrain from disrupting the reopening of
institutions of higher learning next month. The schools were closed after
student unrest in December 1996. 

Confrontation between the NLD and the SPDC has intensified in recent weeks
with the opposition demanding the government convene parliament by August
21. 

The NLD swept the last general election in May 1990, but the military
ignored the results and has refused to convene parliament. 

The SPDC has retaliated by clamping down on the movements of opposition MPs
in the townships, confining them there and requiring them to report twice
daily to security officials.