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AP-Myanmar Party: End Military Rule

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Wednesday, January 5 2:34 AM SGT=20
Myanmar Party: End Military Rule

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - The opposition party led by Nobel Peace =
Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi marked the 52nd anniversary Tuesday of =
Myanmar's independence from Britain by urging people to unite against =
harsh military rule.=20

Suu Kyi, whose political activities are limited by the government, =
attended a celebration at the headquarters of her National League for =
Democracy. She was joined by about 400 supporters, diplomats and =
journalists.=20

``Though Myanmar has gained freedom from colonial rule, citizens are =
still deprived of human rights under the military rulers,'' the party =
said in an 11-page statement. ``We urge the people to join hands with =
the NLD for the establishment of a modern and democratic nation that =
guarantees human rights.''=20

Still, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, chairman of the ruling council of =
generals, signaled that the military government has not softened its =
view of the opposition, which it considers lackeys of Western powers =
bent on recolonizing Myanmar, also known as Burma.=20

``It is imperative to oppose and eradicate with people's might the =
destructive danger of the terrorist and destructive group heading for =
utter devastation,'' said Than Shwe in a message read out by Yangon's =
military commander in a simple flag-raising ceremony.=20

Myanmar has had only a brief experience with civilian government since =
Britain's 120-year rule ended Jan. 4, 1948. The military seized power in =
1962 and impoverished the country in a quarter-century of isolated, =
socialist rule.=20

Widespread street protests against the military government in 1988 and =
were bloodily repressed but resulted in a new, market-oriented regime. =
The National League for Democracy won overwhelminginly in 1990 =
elections, but the military refused to allow parliament to convene.=20

Veteran politicians who played a key role in the independence struggle =
on Tuesday reiterated a call for dialogue between the regime and Suu =
Kyi's party.=20

The National Coalition of the Union of Burma, an umbrella of opposition =
exile and resistance groups, held an Independence Day celebration along =
Myanmar's border with Thailand.=20

``The army's failure to solve political problems by negotiations means =
civil war in Burma has not stopped,'' said Maung Aye, information =
minister of a self-proclaimed government-in-exile.=20


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Wednesday, January 5</B> 2:34 AM SGT =

<H2><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D4>Myanmar Party: End Military =
Rule</FONT></H2>
<P><I></I>
<P>YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - The opposition party led by Nobel Peace =
Prize-winner=20
Aung San Suu Kyi marked the 52nd anniversary Tuesday of Myanmar's =
independence=20
from Britain by urging people to unite against harsh military rule.=20
<P>Suu Kyi, whose political activities are limited by the government, =
attended a=20
celebration at the headquarters of her National League for Democracy. =
She was=20
joined by about 400 supporters, diplomats and journalists.=20
<P>``Though Myanmar has gained freedom from colonial rule, citizens are =
still=20
deprived of human rights under the military rulers,'' the party said in =
an=20
11-page statement. ``We urge the people to join hands with the NLD for =
the=20
establishment of a modern and democratic nation that guarantees human =
rights.''=20
<P>Still, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, chairman of the ruling council of =
generals,=20
signaled that the military government has not softened its view of the=20
opposition, which it considers lackeys of Western powers bent on =
recolonizing=20
Myanmar, also known as Burma.=20
<P>``It is imperative to oppose and eradicate with people's might the=20
destructive danger of the terrorist and destructive group heading for =
utter=20
devastation,'' said Than Shwe in a message read out by Yangon's military =

commander in a simple flag-raising ceremony.=20
<P>Myanmar has had only a brief experience with civilian government =
since=20
Britain's 120-year rule ended Jan. 4, 1948. The military seized power in =
1962=20
and impoverished the country in a quarter-century of isolated, socialist =
rule.=20
<P>Widespread street protests against the military government in 1988 =
and were=20
bloodily repressed but resulted in a new, market-oriented regime. The =
National=20
League for Democracy won overwhelminginly in 1990 elections, but the =
military=20
refused to allow parliament to convene.=20
<P>Veteran politicians who played a key role in the independence =
struggle on=20
Tuesday reiterated a call for dialogue between the regime and Suu Kyi's =
party.=20
<P>The National Coalition of the Union of Burma, an umbrella of =
opposition exile=20
and resistance groups, held an Independence Day celebration along =
Myanmar's=20
border with Thailand.=20
<P>``The army's failure to solve political problems by negotiations =
means civil=20
war in Burma has not stopped,'' said Maung Aye, information minister of =
a=20
self-proclaimed government-in-exile. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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