AP-Myanmar Leader Pledges To Rid Co

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Subject: AP-Myanmar Leader Pledges To Rid Country Of ""Traitors""

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Monday, December 6 3:57 PM SGT=20
Myanmar Leader Pledges To Rid Country Of ""Traitors""
YANGON, Myanmar (AP)--In a stern statement coming after a Japanese =
diplomatic initiative to encourage reform, a senior member of Myanmar's =
military regime has pledged to rid the country of "traitors."=20
Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt's remarks to a teachers' refresher course Sunday =
were carried Monday in official newspapers, the only kind allowed.=20

"Every nation has the right to choose its own political system and shape =
its own destiny suitable to its historical and cultural traditions of =
the nation and people," said Khin Nyunt, chief of military intelligence. =


The speech came after a week of diplomatic overtures by Japan, which is =
reaching out with suggestions of restoring aid if visible progress is =
made toward political and economic reform.=20

Khin Nyunt's speech showed no softening in the government's refusal to =
hold a political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace =
Prize winner, whose party won elections in 1990. The military never let =
the parliament convene and considers Suu Kyi a traitor.=20

Khin Nyunt restated the government's position that it "is treading on =
the right path toward the flourishing of disciplined democracy."=20

"The internal traitors are deceiving the people by saying that genuine =
democracy can only flourish when they take power," Khin Nyunt said.=20

Khin Nyunt said that "internal traitors who rely on their =
neo-colonialist masters" were blackening the name of the government at =
the United Nations and were behind the storming of Myanmar's embassy in =
Bangkok Oct. 1.=20

Five student activists who seized the embassy and held 38 people hostage =
were allowed to go free by Thailand to avoid bloodshed, a move the =
generals considered appeasement. They closed the border for eight weeks, =
prompting Thailand to expel thousands of Myanmar workers.=20

Khin Nyunt told the teachers it was necessary to get rid of traitors =
trying to mislead the nation's youth, but said doors were open to exiled =
students who repented their opposition.=20


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Monday, December 6</B> 3:57 PM SGT=20
<H2><FONT size=3D4>Myanmar Leader Pledges To Rid Country Of=20
""Traitors""</FONT></H2>YANGON, Myanmar (AP)--In a stern statement =
coming after=20
a Japanese diplomatic initiative to encourage reform, a senior member of =

Myanmar's military regime has pledged to rid the country of "traitors."=20
<P>Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt's remarks to a teachers' refresher course Sunday =
were=20
carried Monday in official newspapers, the only kind allowed.=20
<P>"Every nation has the right to choose its own political system and =
shape its=20
own destiny suitable to its historical and cultural traditions of the =
nation and=20
people," said Khin Nyunt, chief of military intelligence.=20
<P>The speech came after a week of diplomatic overtures by Japan, which =
is=20
reaching out with suggestions of restoring aid if visible progress is =
made=20
toward political and economic reform.=20
<P>Khin Nyunt's speech showed no softening in the government's refusal =
to hold a=20
political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize =
winner,=20
whose party won elections in 1990. The military never let the parliament =
convene=20
and considers Suu Kyi a traitor.=20
<P>Khin Nyunt restated the government's position that it "is treading on =
the=20
right path toward the flourishing of disciplined democracy."=20
<P>"The internal traitors are deceiving the people by saying that =
genuine=20
democracy can only flourish when they take power," Khin Nyunt said.=20
<P>Khin Nyunt said that "internal traitors who rely on their =
neo-colonialist=20
masters" were blackening the name of the government at the United =
Nations and=20
were behind the storming of Myanmar's embassy in Bangkok Oct. 1.=20
<P>Five student activists who seized the embassy and held 38 people =
hostage were=20
allowed to go free by Thailand to avoid bloodshed, a move the generals=20
considered appeasement. They closed the border for eight weeks, =
prompting=20
Thailand to expel thousands of Myanmar workers.=20
<P>Khin Nyunt told the teachers it was necessary to get rid of traitors =
trying=20
to mislead the nation's youth, but said doors were open to exiled =
students who=20
repented their opposition. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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