Reuters-Myanmar opposition rejects

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Myanmar opposition rejects anti-dissent laws 
08:41 a.m. Sep 28, 1998 Eastern 

YANGON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Myanmar's opposition National League for
Democracy (NLD) resolved on Monday to annul two laws used by successive
governments to suppress dissent, a move likely to escalate tensions between
it and the ruling military. 

A 10-member committee formed by the NLD this month to represent a
parliament said in a statement it had resolved to annul the 1950 Emergency
Provisions Act and the Law Protecting the State Against the Dangers of
Destructionists. 

At the same time it resolved to have parliament approve three laws
introduced after the 1988 military takeover, covering the registration of
political parties, organisation of associations, and parliamentary
elections. 

It said the latter law was amended to ``delete provisions inconsistent with
democratic procedures.'' 

Political analysts called the legal changes announced by the opposition a
symbolic act that would achieve little beyond escalating already-charged
tensions with the military. 

Earlier, state newspapers quoted Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, a senior
member of the ruling military council, as saying in a speech on Sunday that
a ``handful of destructionists'' were plotting to destabilise the nation. 

In an apparent reference to the committee, he added: ``Development will
last only if there is a prevalence of law and order and if destructionists
cannot raise their heads.'' 

Khin Nyunt also criticised the group for persuading people not to invest in
Myanmar. 

The September 25 issue of the government's official gazette announced that
the military council had formed a 16-member ``Political Affairs Committee''
headed by Khin Nyunt. 

Its role would be to study the activities of political parties in
successive eras, said an official source who did not want to be identified.


The gazette said the committee had been formed on September 18, the 10th
anniversary of the military takeover. It said its members included
Lieutenant General Win Myint, the secretary three of the council, and Major
General Maung Than of the Yangon command, another council member. 



The NLD, which is led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won
Myanmar's last election in 1990 by a landslide but the military never
recognised the result. 

The NLD formed its committee to represent a parliament after its earlier
vows to convene a parliament led to mass arrests by the military. The NLD
said last week that 912 of its members had been detained since it resolved
to seek a parliament last May. 

On Sunday, the military council said it had freed a total of 13 NLD members
in the past few days and that more would be released after further
``exchanges of views.'' 

The NLD has stepped up anti-government campaigning in recent months. 

The military council says the opposition tactics have put the NLD on a
collision course with the authorities. It said that more than 22,000 people
congregated in Myanmar's second city, Mandalay, on Saturday to denounce the
party.