VOA-BURMA POL OVERNIGHTER

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Voice of America
DATE=8/14/98

BURMA POL OVERNIGHTER 
GARY THOMAS
BANGKOK
 

INTRO:  EIGHTEEN FOREIGN POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ARE TO LEAVE BURMA 
SATURDAY AFTER AVOIDING PRISON SENTENCES FOR HANDING OUT 
PRO-DEMOCRACY LEAFLETS.  MEANWHILE, PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN
SUU KYI'S ROADSIDE PROTEST OUTSIDE RANGOON ENTERS ITS FOURTH DAY.
V-O-A CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA 
BUREAU IN BANGKOK.

TEXT:  THE 18 ACTIVISTS ARE TO HEAD TO BANGKOK SATURDAY EN ROUTE 
TO THEIR RESPECTIVE HOMELANDS.  THE YOUNG PROTESTORS WERE ORDERED
DEPORTED AFTER HAVING BEEN ORIGINALLY SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN 
PRISON AT HARD LABOR FOR VIOLATING BURMA'S EMERGENCY PROVISION 
ACT.

THE ACTIVISTS ARE FROM SIX COUNTRIES -- THE UNITED STATES, 
THAILAND, THE  PHILIPPINES, MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, AND AUSTRALIA --
AND HAD BEEN ARRESTED SUNDAY FOR HANDING OUT PRO-DEMOCRACY 
LEAFLETS IN RANGOON.

THE DEPORTATION ORDER WAS THE CLIMAX OF A DAY-LONG TRIAL IN WHICH
THE YOUNG PROTESTORS PLEADED GUILTY TO VIOLATING BURMA'S 
EMERGENCY PROVISION ACT.  THE ACT PROVIDES FOR STIFF PRISON 
SENTENCES FOR THOSE WHO, IN THE EYES OF THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT, 
INCITE UNREST OR DISTURB THE TRANQUILITY OF THE COUNTRY.

THE JUDGE SENTENCED THEM TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON.  RIGHT AFTER 
THE SENTENCING, A HOME AFFAIRS MINISTRY OFFICIAL READ A 
PROCLAMATION REDUCING THE SENTENCES AND ORDERING THE PROTESTORS' 
DEPORTATION ON THE STIPULATION THEY WOULD NOT VIOLATE BURMESE LAW
AGAIN.

SOME ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT IT WAS SCRIPTED AND THAT THE GUILTY 
PLEA WAS ENTERED IN RETURN FOR DEPORTATION.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, A BRITISH-AUSTRALIAN CITIZEN, JAMES MAWDSLEY, 
WAS SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR HANDING OUT DEMOCRACY 
LEAFLETS.  HE WAS RELEASED AFTER SERVING THREE MONTHS OF A 
FIVE-YEAR SENTENCE.

MEANWHILE, PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI CONTINUES HER 
ROADSIDE PROTEST.  SHE REMAINS IN A VAN, ALONG WITH THREE 
COMPANIONS, ABOUT 32 KILOMETERS FROM RANGOON WHERE AUTHORITIES 
STOPPED HER FROM TRAVELLING TO BASSEIN, 100 KILOMETERS FROM THE 
CAPITAL, TO MEET WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS OF HER PARTY.  SHE REFUSES 
TO TURN BACK AND AUTHORITIES REFUSE TO LET HER PROCEED FURTHER, 
OSTENSIBLY FOR "SECURITY REASONS."

A SIMILAR EPISODE NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO OCCURRED IN ALMOST THE 
EXACT SAME SPOT.  THAT SIX-DAY STANDOFF ENDED WHEN POLICE TOOK 
CONTROL OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S CAR AND FORCIBLY TOOK HER BACK TO 
RANGOON. (SIGNED)