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THE NATION: 980824 (r)
August 23, 1998
BURMESE PROTEST
Force may be used
to end rally in front
of embassy
Students, dissidents start hunger strike
Force may be used to remove about 100 Burmese dissidents
protesting outside the Burmese embassy if they do not agree to move
away from the gate area, the authorities warned yesterday.
The warning came as the protesters, mostly Burmese students and
dissidents living in Thailand, started a hunger strike in front of the
embassy on Sathorn Road in support of the National League for
Democracy (NLD), which is heading for a showdown with the
Burmese military rulers that has ignored its demand to convene
parliament.
Kobsak Chutikul, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that the
concerned authorities - the Special Branch, the Police Department, the
National Intelligence Agency and the ministry - will meet tomorrow to
decide whether they will recommend forcibly removing the protesters
who have been camped outside the embassy since August 3.
Mr Kobsak said if the protesters move their protest across the road
instead of blocking the gate of the embassy then no action will be
taken.
"This is international practice and the practice in Thailand as well when
there are protests in front of the Government House or Parliament.
You cannot block the entrance and inconvenience the embassy staff
and others when entering and leaving the compound," Mr Kobsak
said.
"We are not saying they cannot protest in Thailand. We just want them
to move across the road," he said.
He said the authorities have tried to convince the protesters to do this
before and will try again over the weekend, but if they refuse, the
decision to use force may be recommended to Foreign Minister Surin
Pitsuwan and Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart.
The warning came as a group of 26 of the protesters announced that
they have begun a hunger strike to press the Rangoon junta to allow
the convening of a democratic parliament and hand over power.
"We have set no timeframe for the hunger strike. We will call it off
only after the political situation in Burma improves," said Zaw Wint, a
spokesman for the group.
Most of the dissidents have been in Thailand since fleeing a bloody
crackdown on Burma's pro-democracy movement in 1988.
On Friday, the opposition National League for Democracy, led by
Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, made its most defiant
challenge to military rule by saying it would shortly call a "people's
parliament" after the junta ignored its Aug 21 deadline to convene
parliament.
Mr Kobsak said that the Thai authorities have been lenient with the
protesters and do not want to use force.
However, their refusal to move away from the gate is having
repercussions on Thailand which will be viewed as unable to protect
foreign missions. The Burmese embassy has complained about its
compound being obstructed.
He pointed to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
which states that the host country is duty-bound to protect embassy
premises and prevent disturbance of the peace of the missions. Thai
laws, in particular the 1984 Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act,
bind the country to similar obligations.
Asked if Thailand would be criticised internationally if violence broke
out should the Thai police try to forcibly remove the protesters, Mr
Kobsak said the authorities were bearing this in mind.
"We are in a difficult situation. If violence breaks out and the news
spreads throughout the world we will be attacked again. But if we
don't take action there will be other repercussions because other
countries will see us as unable to protect their embassies," Mr Kobsak
said.
He said the protesters had promised that they would call off the
demonstration on Aug 21 but are now continuing it indefinitely and that
is why the authorities will have to take action.
Meanwhile, 14 supporters of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
were apprehended in Myawaddy yesterday by Burmese security
officials following a direct order from Yangon, a security source
disclosed yesterday.
The source said Lt-Col Saw Win, 275th infantry battalion
commander, has reportedly ordered the arrest of the 14 activists who
were charged with causing unrest and under investigation at a local
military outpost.
Lt-Col Saw Win has reportedly ordered local security officials to be
strict with local residents who were barred from leaving the town while
outsiders were also not allowed in.
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© Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 1998
Last Modified: Sun, Aug 23, 1998
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