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bbc-Gunmen leave embassy



Saturday, October 2, 1999 Published at 05:28 GMT 06:28 UK
World: Asia-Pacific

Gunmen leave embassy

An armed gang which attacked the Burmese embassy in Bangkok has released
some of its hostages and left the compound for a getaway helicopter.
Witnesses said that the hostage-takers were driven at high speed to a nearby
school football field in two minivans, accompanied by a police motorcyclist.

One report said they had taken six hostages with them. However, on arrival
at the field, the helicopters had not arrived and negotiations continued.

It was thought that the authorities did not want the gunmen to take hostages
with them on the helicopter. Three gun shots rang out during the delay.

The group, thought to be 12-strong, had wanted the helicopter to land in the
embassy compound, but space restrictions meant it was switched to the nearby
field.

The gunmen, who are understood to be armed with AK-47s, hand grenades and
grenade launchers, are intending to fly to the Thai-Burmese border.

A few hours earlier, they released three people - two Burmese men and a
four-month pregnant woman who worked at the embassy.

The gunmen had threatened to start shooting their captives if their demands
were not met.

Dozens of sharp-shooters and elite anti-terrorist police units had
surrounded the embassy.

Communications resumed during the night after breaking off at one point and
food and water were taken into the building.

The hostages included 13 Burmese officials, as well as Canadians, French,
Malaysians, Singaporeans, Thais, an American, and a German, according to one
of the hostages, who spoke by phone to a local media organisation,
AsiaWorks.

The armed group seized control of the embassy at about 1100am local time
(0400GMT) on Friday.

They demanded that Burma's military government enter into talks with the
Burmese opposition and convene a democratic parliament.

They also called for the release of all political prisoners in Burma, and
said the government in Rangoon would be responsible for the consequences if
the demands were not met.

The gunmen said they were willing to die in action.

Intermittent gunfire was heard from the embassy compound throughout the day.

Three hostages were released on Friday.

Unkown group

The previously unknown group is called itself the Vigorous Burmese Students
Warriors.

The All Burma Students Democratic Front - which represents Burmese students
in exile - says it has no connection with the attack and does not condone
it.

There are hundreds of democracy and human rights activists, including exiled
students, working in Thailand to lobby for greater democracy in Burma.

Students and ethnic groups regularly demonstrate in front of the Burmese
embassy in Bangkok, but their demonstrations are always peaceful.

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