AFP-Aung San Suu Kyi slams military

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Subject: AFP-Aung San Suu Kyi slams military crackdown ahead of September 9

Aung San Suu Kyi slams military crackdown ahead of September 9
YANGON, Aug 24 (AFP) - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has given
support to dissidents campaigning for a mass uprising next month, and warned
the ruling military junta is using the so-called 'four nines movement' as a
pretext to tighten its grip.
"I think they are using it as an excuse for cracking down," she said in an
interview with AFP late Monday.

"The authorities should not try to find victims for what will arise out of
their shortcomings," she added.

The junta has lashed out at dissidents for waging a campaign of
"disinformation" to create civil unrest on September 9 -- or 9/9/99.

Aung San Suu Kyi said her National League for Democracy (NLD) had not
masterminded the 'four nines campaign, but said she would not abandon
dissidents calling for a general uprising on September 9.

"This is not a campaign that we started but our policy has always been very
clear on such things -- we will never disown any of our allies who have
fought for democracy," she said.

The Nobel Peace laureate would not say whether she expected the mass
uprising to go ahead, but warned the people's desire for democracy could not
be suppressed forever.

"What we are sure of is that the people are generally discontent and it
would not surprise me if there is discontent in some form or other, but when
it will come out we cannot predict," she said.

"If there is a general uprising it will be because of the discontent of the
people, because of the hardships that our people are having to face."

The military junta has confirmed it has arrested 37 people in connection
with the 'four nines' movement, but said there was no support for a mass
uprising and the planned unrest was destined to fail.

August 8 this year marked the 11th anniversary of an uprising in which
hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators were gunned down by the army and a
junta took power from strongman General Ne Win.

That anniversary passed peacefully, but dissident groups have said Myanmar's
people have an "appointment" with September 9 to repeat the events of 1988
and end the military's 37-year domination of politics.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been locked in a bitter political struggle with
Myanmar's military rulers since she led the NLD to an overwhelming victory
in 1990 elections.

The junta ignored the results and embarked on a campaign of intimidation and
arrest of NLD members and supporters.