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VOA-BURMA/ POLITICS-GARY THOMAS-BAN
Voice of America
DATE=9/2/98
BURMA/ POLITICS-GARY THOMAS-BANGKOK
INTRO: A GROUP OF BURMESE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS HAS STAGED A
PROTEST IN RANGOON. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THE PROTEST WAS
POLITICAL OR RELATED TO CAMPUS ISSUES. ALSO ON WEDNESDAY,
PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI MET WITH FOREIGN DIPLOMATS IN THE
BURMESE CAPITAL. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR
SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT: A GROUP OF STUDENTS, ESTIMATED TO NUMBER UP TO 500, STAGED A
DEMONSTRATION AT A RANGOON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WEDNESDAY.
RIOT POLICE STOOD READY OUTSIDE THE GROUNDS OF THE YANGON
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, AS SCHOOL AUTHORITIES NEGOTIATED WITH
THE STUDENTS. ROADS LEADING TO THE CAMPUS WERE CLOSED. A
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WERE NO ARRESTS AND THAT SCHOOL
AUTHORITIES WERE HANDLING THE PROBLEM.
BECAUSE ACCESS TO THE CAMPUS HAS BEEN CUT OFF, IT IS NOT CLEAR
WHAT THE DEMONSTRATION WAS ABOUT. INITIAL REPORTS FROM THE
CAPITAL INDICATE IT WAS RELATED TO EXAMS. SCHOOLS IN BURMA WERE
ONLY RECENTLY REOPENED AFTER BEING CLOSED FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS,
AND STUDENTS ARE REPORTED TO BE UNHAPPY OVER THE TIMING OF
LONG-DELAYED FINAL EXAMS.
HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT IS EXPECTED TO VIEW ANY SIGN OF STUDENT
DISCONTENT AS A POTENTIAL FLASHPOINT, PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN BURMA'S
MILITARY RULERS ARE ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH THE
PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT AND ITS CHARISMATIC LEADER, AUNG SAN SUU KYI.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAS SAID THE OPPOSITION WILL CONVENE THE
PARLIAMENT THAT WAS ELECTED IN 1990 BUT WAS NEVER ALLOWED TO
SIT, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT THREW OUT THE ELECTION RESULTS. HER
PARTY, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY, OVERWHELMINGLY WON
THOSE ELECTIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS WARNED AGAINST ANY SUCH MOVE, SAYING IT WOULD BE
ILLEGAL. IT HAS INDICATED IT MIGHT BAN THE PARTY IF THE N-L-D PROCEEDS
WITH ITS PLAN.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI MET WITH DIPLOMATS WEDNESDAY AT THE HOME OF KENT
WEIDEMANN, THE HIGHEST-RANKING U-S DIPLOMAT IN BURMA.
IN A RARE MEETING TUESDAY WITH RANGOON-BASED JOURNALISTS FOR
FOREIGN NEWS AGENCIES, AUNG SAN SUU KYI ACCUSED THE GOVERNMENT OF REFUSING
TO NEGOTIATE AND PLANNING TO USE FORCE TO RESOLVE THE IMPASSE.
SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE, IN FACT, MET SEVERAL TIMES IN
RECENT WEEKS WITH TOP N-L-D LEADERS -- BUT NOT WITH AUNG SAN SUU
KYI. THE PARTY HAS STEADFASTLY REFUSED TO ENTER INTO ANY
SUBSTANTIVE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT UNLESS AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS
INCLUDED. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL NOT ENTER INTO
ANY TALKS IN WHICH AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS A PARTICIPANT. (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/FC/WTW
02-Sep-98 6:15 AM EDT (1015 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.