AFP-Thousands of Myanmar students p

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Thousands of Myanmar students protest as political tensions escalate
Wed 02 Sep 98 - 12:24 GMT 

YANGON, Sept 2 (AFP) - Thousands of students protested against the Myanmar
here Wednesday in the biggest such demonstrations in nearly two years as
political tensions boiled over on the campuses.

"End the military government," chanted up to 800 students at the Yangon
Institute of Technology (YIT), as riot police cordoned off a one mile
perimeter around the campus, witnesses said.

Another 3,000 students rallied at the Hlaing campus in the city, where many
of the institution's students live, diplomats and witnesses added.

At least six trucks of riot police, carrying some 50 officers each, were
seen arriving at Hlaing and up to 200 more were deployed around the main
YIT campus, diplomats and witnesses said.

The Hlaing campus, which was also sealed off by security forces, also hosts
a college for students preparing to enter YIT. The riot police had shields
and batons but no firearms were seen.

The protest was initially triggered by student anger at arrangements for
examinations over the last two weeks, the first since universities were
closed following unrest in December 1996, diplomats said.

But the demonstrations were the biggest since the 1996 unrest and came
after riot police broke up a smaller protest outside Yangon University on
August 25, arresting dozens of people, according to witnesses.

Another protest was staged later that day at Yangon Institute of
Technology, during which rocks were thrown and riot police mobilised.

"One little thing can spark a big demonstration which gets out of control,"
said one diplomat.

"This could escalate or it could simmer down. There is no clear indication
at this stage and there isn't likely to be because we can't get near the
area to check."

A senior Asian diplomat said he was optimistic the protest would end
peacefully but expressed fear that violence could erupt.

"They know if they allow it to go on there will be problems. I am sure if
they can't stop (the protest), the military troops will come."

The diplomat said neighbouring countries were avoiding involvement with the
protests, in line with the regional non-interventionist policy.

One European diplomat saw the absence of firearms among the riot police as
a positive sign.

"If there were guns, I would be more worried, but I think this one will be
resolved somehow for the time being."

Political tensions are rising following an opposition decision to convene
the parliament elected in 1990 after the junta ignored earlier requests to
do so.

The opposition, led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) of Nobel
peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won the 1990 polls by a landslide but the
junta has refused to relinquish power.

The junta, meanwhile, stepped up a verbal offensive against the opposition,
saying its vow to convene parliament was an unacceptable threat to national
security and promising stern action if the plan went ahead.

The military also repeated allegations that foreign governments were
supporting the NLD and using sanctions to hinder progress toward democracy.
Such attacks are usually interpreted as being directed at the United
States.

"The NLD's decision to hold a national parliament on their own comes up as
a threat to Myanmar's national security," the junta said in a statement.

"In this scenario, the government will be left with no choice but to take
necessary legal action in safeguarding its national security."

The junta said it was unfortunate foreign powers were "blatantly
encouraging (the) NLD to take the confrontational and provocative path
which will derail Myanmar's national unity, peace and stability."

It also railed against sanctions imposed by some Western nations which have
alleged grave violations of human rights and curbs on political freedoms by
the junta.