Exiles call for Myanmar reconciliat

[kyawkyaw@xxxxxxx]

INTERVIEW-Exiles call for Myanmar reconciliation 
02:54 a.m. Aug 07, 1998 Eastern 

By Chris Johnson 

BANGKOK, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Exiled students called on Friday for Myanmars
military government to talk to opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to bring
reconciliation to the country. 

Speaking on the eve of the 10th anniversary of a bloody crackdown on
pro-democracy activists, the foreign secretary of the All Burma Students
Democratic Front (ABSDF) said the military government had nothing fear from
Myanmars opposition. 

``We need the participation of the Burmese military. We are not saying we
dont want you,'' Aung Naing Oo told Reuters in an interview. ``We are
looking for a win-win situation.'' 

``We will sit down and talk and will work for the good of our country for
the future, and we want the Burmese military to know it is time for
reconciliation.'' 

Tension has been rising recently in Myanmar. Saturday marks a decade since
the army fired into demonstrators on the steps of Yangon city hall on August
8, 1988, which has since become known as ``Four Eights Day.'' 

The violence was followed by a crackdown on the opposition across Myanmar,
then called Burma. 

The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) says 35 police, 15
demonstrators and ``a few dozen rioters'' were killed in the demonstrations. 

Naing Oo and the ABSDF, a key mouthpiece for the Myanmar opposition outside
the country, put the death toll for the events of 1988 at closer to 8,000. 

He said Saturdays anniversary was a key date for Myanmars pro-democracy
opposition. 

``It is very, very important for all of us. Tomorrow symbolises the fall of
the military dictatorship,'' he said. 

But Naintg Oo said he did not expect Suu Kyis National League for Democracy
(NLD) to stage big demonstrations on Saturday and instead would wait until
August 21 before making a move. 

The NLD has set August 21 as the deadline for the government to convene a
parliament of members elected at polls in May 1990. The NLD overwhelmingly
won that election but the military ignored the result. 

``If the Burmese military does not comply, and I dont think they will
comply...they will lose credibility,'' he said. 

``I think the NLD will do something, something important that we dont know
about at this stage, and the people of Burma in their various organisations
will support that move,'' he said. 

``But given an important day like tomorrow, anything can happen. Even a
small spark can create a big flame in the country,'' he said. 

``I cannot guarantee that there wont be any demonstrations. There are a lot
of political organisations, students and monks, and they may do something.
There have been sporadic small gatherings throughout the country, especially
in the cities.'' 

Naing Oo said the military government should use the anniversary as an
opportunity to talk to the opposition. 

``We have called on the Burmese military junta to go into dialogue with the
opposition led by Aung San Suu Kyi and the representatives of the ethnic
nationalities,'' he said. 

``The best solution for all of us is to find a peaceful solution through
dialogue.''