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Myanmar military says more opposition offices shut 
01:56 a.m. Nov 22, 1998 Eastern 

YANGON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government said on Sunday at
least 10 offices of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) had
been closed by their members. 

A government spokesman told a news conference a further five NLD offices were
also being dismantled by their supporters and a total of 1,259 NLD members had
so far resigned from the party. 

``We understand that that these members have resigned of their own volition,
as they disagree with the NLD leadership's policy of confrontation and
divisiveness,'' spokesman Colonel Hla Min said in a statement. 

NLD officials were not available for comment on the report but said they would
hold a news conference on Monday. 

The pro-democracy party, led by 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu
Kyi, has in the past blamed coersion for the closure of its offices and has
said some of the dissolutions have taken place without the knowledge of party
headquarters. 

Yangon-based diplomats say NLD members are under intense pressure from the
military government following a promise by the party to act for a parliament
elected in the country's last general election eight years ago. 

The NLD won that election by a landslide but the military has not allowed it
to govern. 

The military have rounded up and detained hundreds of NLD elected
representatives and members in recent months to prevent them from carrying out
a threat to convene parliament. 

A government statement said on Sunday a total of 851 NLD members had been
detained in state guest houses since early October. Of these, 384 had
subsequently been released because they ``undertook not to participate'' in
illegal activities. 

It said the detainees were being treated well. 

``All throughout their period of stay at government guest houses, the guests
were provided with the best culinary fare, social arrangements and medical
attention,'' it said. 

It was unclear if the NLD members reported to have resigned were among those
detained. 

In the last official statement by the NLD, the party said 920 of its members,
including 183 elected representatives, were in detention as of November 10. 

The government has said it is dealing leniently with the party but has warned
it may be forced to take stronger action if the party endangers national unity
and state security. 

Hla Min told Sunday's news conference he hoped those still in detention would
soon be reunited with their families. 


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