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VOA-BURMA / NLD BID -RON CORBEN-BAN



DATE=9/17/98

BURMA / NLD BID -RON CORBEN-BANGKOk 

INTRO:  BURMA'S OPPOSITION "NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY" SAYS 
IT MAY ESTABLISH A PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.  RON CORBEN REPORTS 
FROM BANGKOK THE OPPOSITION'S PROPOSED ACTION REPRESENTS A MAJOR 
CHALLENGE TO THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS A TEST OF 
POPULAR SUPPORT FOR THE N-L-D ITSELF.

TEXT:  NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY SUPPORTERS AND 
PARLIAMENTARIANS IN EXILE SAY THE OPPOSITION PARTY IS TO ANNOUNCE
THE CREATION OF A PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT WITHIN A FEW DAYS. 

AT A NEWS CONFERENCE (THURSDAY) IN BANGKOK, EXILED PARTY MEMBERS 
SAID THE N-L-D HAS FORMED A 10-MEMBER COMMITTEE TO PLAN A 
PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.  THEY SAID THE COMMITTEE REPRESENTS PARTY
MEMBERS ELECTED IN 1990 TO A PARLIAMENT THAT WAS NEVER CONVENED.

N-L-D LEADERS SAY THE MOVE TO SET UP A PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT, 
WHICH MAY INCLUDE AUNG SAN SUU KYI A MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL 
COMMITTEE, IS AIMED AT TRIGGERING A POPULAR UPRISING AGAINST THE 
MILITARY GOVERNMENT.

N-L-D MEMBERS IN BANGKOK SAID THEY HOPE WITH INTERNATIONAL 
SUPPORT THEIR PLANS WILL WIDEN REPORTED DIVISIONS WITHIN BURMA'S 
MILITARY AND CAUSE A MAJOR SPLIT BETWEEN HARDLINE GENERALS AND 
THOSE WANTING POLITICAL REFORM. 

THAI INTELLIGENCE SOURCES HAVE SAID A POTENTIAL SPLIT IN THE 
MILITARY GOVERNMENT WHICH CAME TO POWER 10-YEARS AGO IS ON THE 
HORIZON, BUT OTHER ANALYSTS REMAIN SKEPTICAL.

THE N-L-D SAYS ITS PLANS ARE INSPIRED BY THE POPULAR MOVEMENT 
THAT LED TO THE OUSTER OF FORMER PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT FERDINAND 
MARCOS IN 1986.  HE WAS REPLACED BY CORAZON AQUINO, WHOSE 
GOVERNMENT WON THE SUPPORT OF MANY FILIPPINOS AS WELL AS THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

BURMESE OPPOSITION GOVERNMENT IN EXILE MINISTER TEDDY BURI SAYS 
THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT IS INTENDED TO EMBOLDEN THE BURMESE 
PEOPLE WHO, HE SAID, ARE SUBJECT TO INTIMIDATION AND THE REIGN OF
FEAR IN BURMA.

AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS TO CONVENE THE ELECTED PARLIAMENT, 
THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED ITS CLAMPDOWN AGAINST THE 
PARTY.  N-L-D MEMBERS SAY THE MILITARY IS DETAINING ABOUT 
12-HUNDRED OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING SEVERAL PEOPLE 
ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT IN 1990.

DIPLOMATIC SOURCES, ASSESSING THE OPPOSITION PLANS, EXPRESS THEIR
DOUBTS THAT THE N-L-D WILL BE ABLE TO FORCE POLITICAL REFORM BY 
MOBILIZING POPULAR SUPPORT.  THEY SAY THE FEAR OF ARREST AND 
RETRIBUTION HANG DARKLY OVER A POPULATION THAT STRUGGLES WITH 
POVERTY IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S POOREST NATIONS.   (SIGNED)

NEB/RC/RAE

17-Sep-98 10:04 AM EDT (1404 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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