Myanmar News Release Vol 10 No.16

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

                                EMBASSY OF MYANMAR

                                        OTTAWA

                        MYANMAR NEWS RELEASE


            VOL.10                             JULY 29, 
1998                   NO.16

AN UPDATE ON THE POLITICAL STANDOFF

 The political demonstration of Mrs. Suu Kyi Aris in Myanmar by
sitting in her car on the highway to Pathein (Bassein) enters its sixth
day.   She has so far been rejecting any offer of dialogue with
government officials (including the second highest ranking police officer
in the country) for the seventh time.    Meanwhile, upon
her request, seven bottles of drinking water have been supplied by the
officials, who are also capable of supplying nutrients, but hoping that
she will soon come to her senses and comply with their request to return
home peacefully.

 Although this unconventional form of politicking with an attention-
seekingmotive may have been done in concert with some of her foreign
supporterswho, in turn, are doing their best to publicize the event, the
majorityof the peace-loving population of this Buddhist country have so far
takenlittle notice of this Western style political stunt that they will, inany
case, find it hard to understand.    Especially thatwhy anyone living within
this peaceful nation would want it to descendinto political chaos similar to
that of 1988 just to make Western predictionson Myanmar gain some desperately
needed credibility.

 Even her own medical doctors who came from Yangon to check onher have
returned home which should indicate that there are no serioushealth concerns
at this moment.

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