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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
.