AFP-Major events since the 1988 Mya

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Subject: AFP-Major events since the 1988 Myanmar army crackdown

Major events since the 1988 Myanmar army crackdown
YANGON, Oct 2 (AFP) - Following are the major events in the history of
Myanmar's pro-democracy movement since the military crackdown 10 years ago:
1988

Aug 8: Mass demonstrations demanding an end to the military dictatorship in
place since 1962 are staged across the country after months of turmoil.
Troops open fire on the crowds, leaving hundreds or thousands dead according
to different estimates. Violence spreads over five days, with security
forces also coming under attack in some areas.

Aug 12: Confronted by the mounting chaos, General Sein Lwin quits the
leadership after just 18 days in his post, to be replaced by lawyer and
writer Maung Maung. Protests continue.

Sept 18: Military takes charge with the creation of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC), which authorises the creation of opposition
parties after 26 years of monopoly rule by the Burma Socialist Programme
party.

Sept 30: National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of
independence hero Aung San, is formed.

1989

July 20: Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest.

1990

May 27: NLD bags 392 out of 485 seats in parliamentary elections. Junta
refuses to recognise the results and hand over power.

1991

Sept 15: Government in exile formed at Mannerplaw on the Thai border.

Oct 14: Aung San Suu Kyi wins Nobel Peace Prize.

1992

April 23: General Saw Maung resigns as head of SLORC and is replaced by
General Than Shwe. In succeeding months, the junta frees some 500 political
prisoners.

Aug 24: Universities closed since the protests reopen.

Sept 26: Martial law in force since 1988 is lifted.

1993

Jan 9: National convention for drafting a new constitution opens.

1995

July 10: Aung San Suu Kyi is released after six years under house arrest.

Nov 28: The NLD refuses to take part in a new session of the national
convention.

1996

May 25: Some 10,000 supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi march in Rangoon in the
biggest demonstration since 1990.

June 7: Junta declares opposition rallies "illegal."

Dec 9: Student demonstrators demand setting up of unions and freeing of
detained comrades.

1997

April 22: The United States bans all new investment in Myanmar. On April 29,
The European Union extends sanctions.

May 27: Hundreds of police prevent the holding of an NLD congress at Aung
San Suu Kyi's home.

July 23: Myanmar admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Nov 15: The junta announces SLORC has been replaced by the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC).

1998

June 24: Aung San Suu Kyi gives an ultimatum to the junta demanding that the
parliament elected in 1990 -- which has never met -- be convened by Aug 21.

July 24-30: The junta prevents Aung San Suu Kyi from visiting NLD members.
Her car is blocked 26 kilometres (16 miles) from Yangon, forcing her to
return home.

July 30: Aung San Suu Kyi declares she would keep defying the authorities
and encourages her supporters to keep up resistence.

Aug 8: The anniversary of the 1988 unrest passes without incident. The
following day, 18 foreigners are arrested in Yangon for distributing
pro-democracy pamphlets and are later deported.

Sept 16: NLD sets up the Committee Representing Peoples Parliament,
resulting in a renewed crackdown on dissent by the junta.

1999

Sept 9: Efforts by exiled dissidents to spark another uprising, dubbed the
"Four Nines Movement," after the day, month and year, meet with little
success.

Sept 1: British human rights activist James Mawdsley is arrested for the
third time inside Myanmar and jailed for 17 years. Another British activist
Rachel Goldwyn is sentenced to seven years in prison on September 16.

Oct 1: Dissident gunmen take over Myanmar embassy in Bangkok, taking nearly
40 hostages. The crisis ends 24 hours later, after Thai authorities bow to
demands for a helicopter taking the gunmen to the Thai-Myanmar border.