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Pro-democracy groups protest Myanmar junta delegation to Japan
TOKYO, June 6 Kyodo - An alliance of Myanmar
pro-democracy groups on Tuesday protested Japan's decision to grant a visa to a
leader of Myanmar's
military junta so he can attend Thursday's official funeral of former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. At a news conference in Tokyo, the Joint Action Committee, which comprises five Myanmar pro-democracy groups, criticized the Japanese Foreign Ministry's issuance of a visa to Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, secretary of Myanmar's ruling State Peace and Development Council. Khin Nyunt is scheduled to arrive in Japan on Wednesday accompanied by Finance and Revenue Minister Khin Maung Thein, National Planning Minister Soe Tha and Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win. ''We are protesting the Japanese government's decision because Khin Nyunt does not represent the whole country, and he killed thousands of people,'' said Tin Kyi, vice chairman of the Burma Youth Volunteer Association, at the news conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan. Myanmar protesters said Japan's action only encourages the junta, adding that a number of Western countries refuse to offer Khin Nyunt a visa. A member of the Joint Action Committee denounced Japan for supporting the junta both openly and secretly, and said the Japanese government should consider the situation more carefully. '' The Japanese government refused to grant a visa to the government of the elected Taiwan president for Obuchi's funeral and it granted a visa to the junta's leader. We would like to question this,'' a protester said. The Japanese government on Tuesday denied it had refused to grant a visa to a top aide of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian to attend the Obuchi funeral. About 70 Myanmar protesters plan to hold a demonstration Wednesday in front of the Foreign Ministry building. The junta gunned down hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators in the 1988 nation wide democracy protests. In 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won the general election, but the military junta refused to recognize the results of the vote, forcing many elected candidates to flee the country in fear for their safety. ==Kyodo |