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Than Shwe Visit a Pointless Exercis



Subject: Than Shwe Visit a Pointless Exercise

For immediate release: 8 March 1999


THAN SHWE VISIT A POINTLESS EXERCISE


Senior General Than Shwe?s visit was today dismissed as "pointless" because
of the junta leader?s failure to dialogue with his fellow citizens.

"It is pointless to talk with the military regime without dialogue with
Burma?s elected government. 

"The junta leaders should not bother to travel abroad until they have
learned to dialogue with the NLD and ethnic leaders in their own country"
said Debbie Stothard, Coordinator Altsean-Burma.

She said any potential gains made to talking with the Senior General on
this visit would be temporary at best. 

Unless there is real chance in Burma any promises made by Than Shwe to
Thailand would be unsustainable. The real source of problems between Thai
and Burma has been the result of the instability perpetrated by the
military regime. Dialogue between the junta, the National League of
Democracy which won the 1990 election, and ethnic leaders would be the
first significant step to restoring stability to Burma. Without long-term
stability, Thailand will continue to have massive problems over territorial
disputes, refugees and drug production in Burma.

"The junta appears to have embarked on an exercise of changing its image
without changing the situation in Burma. It would be like a serial murderer
buying a new suit and expecting the world  to believe that he has stopped
killing."  Last month more than 270  NLD members, supporters and students
were sentenced to long prison terms ranging from seven to 52 years. The
Burmese economy remains in tatters because there have been no genuine
reforms and civilian universities remain closed and ethnic continue to flee
Burma because of military?s severe violations.


Debbie Stothard
Coordinator
Altsean-Burma


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A L T S E A N - B U R M A
Alternative Asean Network on Burma
Tel: 66 2 275 1811 * Fax: 66 2 693 4515
<altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>