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Reuters-The cowardice of SPDC



Myanmar accuses opponents of ``smear'' campaign
12:52 a.m. Aug 15, 1999 Eastern
BANGKOK, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Myanmar's ruling military, responding on Sunday
to a report it detained 120 dissidents to thwart a pro-democracy uprising
next month, said opponents were conducting a ``smear'' campaign against it.

A government statement did not specifically deny the arrests but said a
report from the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) that a virtual
curfew had been declared in the country's second city, Mandalay, was
``totally fabricated.''

The dissident student group, based on the Thai-Myanmar border, said in
statement on Saturday that the military had arrested the 120 activists to
thwart an uprising exiled anti-government groups have called for September
9, 1999 -- the so-called ``four nines'' day.

``Anti-government organisations have been stepping up a smear campaign in
time for the next U.N. General Assembly and also to make a big issue out of
their numerically obsessed date of 9 September to attract international
attention,'' the government said. ``Regarding the curfew, it is totally
fabricated.''

Myanmar dissidents chose September 9 for its numerical significance
following ``four-eights day'' -- August 8, 1988 -- which is taken to mark
the start of a nationwide pro-democracy uprising crushed by the army that
year.

The statement said anti-government groups had been calling on people to wear
yellow as a sign of protest, ``but nobody seems to have any interest in
their call to promote yellow.''

The government said last week it had arrested four people after exposing a
conspiracy to incite an uprising on September 9.

It said they included two members of the ABSDF group and two of the National
League for Democracy, the main opposition party.

The ABSDF said arrests would not make any difference.

``There will be thousands more to take the place of those arrested,'' it
said. The four nines, the date set by the people, cannot be altered simply
by arresting people.''

Anti-government sentiment remains strong in Myanmar, but the military has
keep a tight reign on dissent by arresting and harassing opponents since
ignoring the result of the country's last election in 1990 when the NLD won
by huge margin.