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BURMA RELATED NEWS - June 28,
2001.
----------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINES
---------------------------------------------------------------- Daily Telagraph - Ex-headhunters guard Burmese
'speed' factories
AP - Suu Kyi's Party Reopens Burma
Branch
AP - Myanmar's Suu Kyi Party Reopens Branch
Office
AP - WTO Figure Urges Asean To Make The Best Of
China's Entry
BBC - Burma frees more political
prisoners
BBC - China fury at organ snatching
'lies'
The Nation - Refugees
threaten action
The Nation - Scholars
reserved over Burma
The Nation - EDITORIAL: PM hands junta a few ace cards
Bkk Post - Warning credibility could be
stretched
Xinhuanet - Myanmar Discloses GDP Target for
2001-02
Xinhuanet - 53 Fires Occur in Myanmar in
May
SCMP - Opposition reopens branch office
after easing of restrictions
---------------------------------------------------------------- Daily Telegraph (UK)
June 27, 2001.
Ex-headhunters guard Burmese 'speed'
factories
By Alex Spillius in Doi Kew Hung SCAN even the most detailed map and you will be lucky to find the town of
Mong Yawn. There is certainly no hint of a bustling community with its own army
and barracks, a school, a hospital, a casino and a hydro-electric power plant.
Yet the town, in the heart of the notorious Golden Triangle, is one of the region's biggest success stories. The reasons are clearly visible to the Thai soldiers peering through high-powered binoculars across the border into what is nominally Burma. Clearly visible in the valley ringed by craggy mountains are a pair of large, shed-like buildings where, the Thais claim, up to 300,000 pills are manufactured every day. Consisting chiefly of caffeine and the common cold cure ephedrine, the
pills are sent across the border into Thailand's Chiang Mai province, carried by
ant armies of smugglers along hundreds of forest trails. Burmese officials claim
that the buildings are rice warehouses. If so, it must be a particularly
expensive strain of rice. Until recently little more than a simple bamboo
settlement, like the surrounding villages that it now dwarfs, Mong Yawn now has
a population of some 60,000 and is expected to grow to 80,000 within two years.
The Thais and international experts estimate that one billion pills will
leave Mong Yawn and about 30 other factories in Burma this year. Two thirds of
them will be consumed in Thailand, which is fast becoming a nation on "speed".
Mong Yawn is controlled by an obscure guerrilla force, the United Wa State Army,
a segment of the small but ferocious Wa tribe that gave up headhunting only a
generation ago.
They were never mastered by the British colonial authorities or by the
military regimes of independent Burma. Now the Thais are finding them equally
hard to defeat in a war against the drug methamphetamine. A Bangkok-based expert
describes the UWSA's operation as a "country within a country" and the Wa as the
new kings of the Golden Triangle, the mountainous region where Burma, Thailand
and Laos converge.
For Thailand, the effects are horrendous. The press is filled with stories
of unemployed men wild on yaa baa (crazy medicine), as methamphetamine is known,
committing serious acts of violence. Schools have introduced urine testing to
combat rampant abuse, while a tenth of novice monks have sought help for
addiction. An infuriated Thai army has reinforced its border patrols, seizing 18
million pills this year and provoking serious clashes with the UWSA and regular
Burmese forces, who have pledged to defend the guerrillas against Thai
"incursions".
Last week, Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai Prime Minister, ended a two-day
visit to Burma which he described as "very successful" with an agreement jointly
to fight drug production and to resolve border tension. But there is a lot of
patching up to do. The two sides have engaged in months of mutual recrimination,
with senior officers of both armed forces accusing each other of profiting from
drugs.
The Thais have accused Rangoon of turning a blind eye to the UWSA's
activities as a reward for ending their guerrilla war 12 years ago. For all the
commitments of both the Thais and Burmese to wiping out narcotics, Wei
Hseuh-kang, the mastermind of the UWSA, travels freely between the two
countries, is a citizen of both and is able to exploit corrupt officialdom on
either side.
He also has a large house in Chiang Mai, the northern Thai capital.
Whenever he leaves Mong Yawn, he can rest assured that an army of 20,000,
equipped with automatic weapons, artillery and heat-seeking surface-to-air
missiles remains to protect his interests.
"We would like to arrest him," said a Thai army intelligence officer, "but
somehow it is difficult."
---------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday June 28 7:48 AM ET
Suu Kyi's Party Reopens Burma Branch By AYE AYE WIN, Associated Press Writer TAIKKYI, Myanmar (AP) - Nobel
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's party reopened a branch office outside the capital
Thursday as the military junta freed nine more party members in its latest
concession to the pro-democracy opposition.
About 30 members and leaders of the National League for Democracy attended
a ceremony to fix a party signboard on the rundown thatch and bamboo hut that
will serve as the party office in Taikkyi town.
It is the first party office allowed to be reopened by the junta since a
crackdown in 1998 closed many of the 40 branches in and around the capital,
Yangon.
``This is an auspicious moment, and the result of the talks between the NLD
and the military leaders,'' said Soe Myint, a member of the party's Central
Executive Committee.
The tin board is the same one that was removed from the party office, then
located in a different building, during the 1998 crackdown. The party name was
painted afresh on the reverse side of the board.
For good luck, a bunch of euginia leaves was tied to a pole atop which a
faded party flag fluttered. About 15 plainclothes intelligence officers and
police took photos and video of the proceedings.
Soe Myint said another branch office is scheduled to reopen Friday in
Hmawbi, 15 miles from Yangon. Taikkyi is about 40 miles north of Yangon.
The junta has been holding reconciliation talks for the last 10 months with
Suu Kyi while keeping her under virtual detention in her house. Party chairman
Aung Shwe and vice chairman Tin Oo also remain under virtual house arrest.
Details of the talks have not emerged but the junta appears to have been
easing the restrictions in recent months.
Nine elected representatives of the NLD who were detained in government
guests houses were allowed to leave Thursday, an official statement said. ``They
are in good health,'' the statement said.
Thirteen more elected representatives were released in two batches earlier
this month, leaving 12 more in detention. About 100 lower-raking members have
also been freed since January.
Authorities have also given the NLD permission to reopen 18 branch offices
around Yangon, out of which nine will be allowed to put up party
signboards.
The boards are the only visible symbol of the opposition in a country that
remains firmly in the grip of the military, which has been in power since
1962.
The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after crushing a
pro-democracy movement in which thousands were killed. The junta called
elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power to the victorious NLD.
The party's call in mid-1998 to unilaterally convene a parliament triggered
the government crackdown.
Tin Shein, chairman of the Taikkyi office, said the party will hold regular
meetings but only after notifying authorities.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday June 28, 6:14 PM
Myanmar's Suu Kyi Party -2: Nine More
Members Freed
TAIKKYI, Myanmar (AP)--Nobel
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's party reopened a branch office outside the Myanmar
capital Thursday, amid signs that the ruling military junta is easing
restrictions on the pro-democracy opposition.
About 30 members and leaders of the National League for Democracy, or NLD,
attended a ceremony to fix a party signboard on the rundown thatch and bamboo
hut that will serve as the party office in Taikkyi town.
The tin signboard is the same that was removed from the party office during
a government crackdown on the opposition nearly four years ago. The name of the
party was painted afresh on the reverse side.
"This is an auspicious moment and the result of the talks between the NLD
and the military leaders," said Soe Myint, the party organizing committee
chairman and a member of the Central Executive Committee.
He said another branch office is scheduled to reopen Friday in Hmawbi, 25
kilometers from the capital, Yangon. Taikkyi is about 60 kilometers north of
Yangon.
The junta has been holding reconciliation talks since the last 10 months
with Suu Kyi while keeping her confined to her house since September. Party
chairman Aung Shwe and vice chairman Tin Oo also remain under virtual house
arrest.
Details of the talks haven't emerged, but the junta appears to have made
some concessions to the NLD in recent months.
Since January, more than 100 NLD members have been freed from detention,
including 13 elected party members who were released this week.
Authorities have also allowed the party to reopen 18 branch offices around
Yangon, out of which nine will be allowed to put up party signboards.
The signboards are the only visible symbol of the opposition in a country
that remains firmly in the grip of the military, which has ruled
continuously since 1962.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday June 28, 7:42 PM
WTO Figure Urges Asean To Make The Best
Of China's Entry
KUALA LUMPUR (AP)--The incoming
head of the World Trade Organization urged Southeast Asian countries Thursday to
"compensate" for China's entry into the WTO by making inroads into the Chinese
market before the rest of the world.
Supachai Panitchpakdi, director-general designate of the Geneva-based trade
body, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, should not
complain that it could lose a large chunk of its share in the U.S. market once
China joins the WTO.
"Chinese products are very competitive in the United States," Supachai told
participants of the World Economic Development Congress. "We may have to
compensate by having an early access into markets in China."
The three-day congress ending Friday, a private-sector affair, brings
together political, finance and business leaders to share ideas on pushing
forward growth in developing countries.
Supachai, formerly the deputy prime minister of Thailand, urged Asean to
speed up its creation of a free trade area, called AFTA, which aims to eliminate
most tariffs within Southeast Asia by 2002.
He said China should be persuaded to get involved as soon as possible in
AFTA, so that the Southeast Asian region's "close economic integration" would be
expanded to include China and ensure that the country's vast market would be
available to ASEAN.
"Everyone will be coming to fight for some market niche in China," he said.
"If we cannot get in there ahead of time, ahead of the rest of the world, we
would probably not be enjoying the kind of benefits that we should."
Supachai said earlier during the congress that China should be admitted to
the WTO by year-end or early in 2002, helped out by the United States being
increasingly flexible.
Supachai is set to become director general of the WTO in 2002.
Rafidah Aziz, Malaysia's trade minister, said Wednesday her government was
looking forward to China's entry because it had been trying to promote greater
bilateral trade and investment with China.
"China is not solely a competitor," Rafidah told reporters. "Malaysia has
long made its preparations to face any competition from other countries,
including China."
She said China's entry into the WTO would benefit Malaysia as her
government had already sought concessions for Malaysian products including
timber, rubber goods and palm oil for entry into the Chinese market.
Asean comprises 10 countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
---------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Thursday, 28 June, 2001, 15:13
GMT 16:13 UK
Burma frees more political prisoners By Jonathan Head in Bangkok
Burma's government has released another nine opposition prisoners from
detention, bringing the total freed this year to more than 120.
The nine were members of parliament for the National League for Democracy
(NLD) party, led by the Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
No reason has been given for the releases. But they are believed to be the
result of the secret dialogue, begun in August last year, between Aung San Suu
Kyi and Burma's military leaders.
Getting her party members released has been one of the key demands of Aung
San Suu Kyi. The military now seems prepared to meet that demand.
Twenty three people have been freed this month from detention in government
'guest houses'.
It is believed that only around a dozen NLD members, detained during the
military crackdown over the past three years, now remain in custody.
Branches reopen
The authorities have also allowed the party to reopen some of its local
branches, closed down in 1998.
The next significant step for the military to take would be to ease the
restrictions on Aung San Suu Kyi, who is confined to her home in Rangoon.
But beyond these gestures of goodwill, it is not clear whether the dialogue
is making progress on substantive issues, in particular over any form of power
sharing between the generals and the opposition.
Neither side will say anything about the talks, except to describe them as
very delicate.
It is believed that a significant number of the military commanders who now
rule Burma oppose making any concessions to the NLD.
They fear popular retribution if they relax their hold on power.
---------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Thursday, 28 June, 2001, 09:39
GMT 10:39 UK
China fury at organ snatching 'lies' China has denounced a former military doctor who says he removed skin and
organs from executed Chinese prisoners that were then sold, sometimes to
foreigners.
The doctor, Wang Guoqi, told the US Congress on Wednesday that he had taken
part in nearly 100 such operations during his time in China's People's
Liberation Army.
China says the former doctor is making it up to try to gain political
asylum in the United States.
Involuntary organ donation is illegal under Chinese law, but critics say
Beijing does not enforce the policy.
'Appaling lies'
Without naming the doctor directly, the foreign ministry in Beijing accused
him of fabricating appalling lies, although it did not explicitly rebuff the
allegation that organs are sometimes removed from executed prisoners.
Dr Wang Guoqi told the US Congress that he had removed skin and corneas
from nearly 100 executed prisoners.
He said he had operated on at least one prisoner whose execution had been
botched and was still breathing during the procedure.
Dr Wang said he felt "deep regret and remorse" over his involvement.
His testimony supports that of Chinese-born human-rights activist Harry Wu,
who recently released a report detailing organ harvesting in China.
Profits
Mr Wu says rich foreigners pay more than $15,000 for transplants in China.
Dr Wang, 38, said the sale of organs netted huge profits for the People's
Liberation Army.
He said prisoners selected to be donors were tested before execution for
suitability and then shot in the back of the head so as not to damage their
heart, liver, kidneys or skin.
"We had to work quickly in the crematorium and 10 to 20 minutes was
generally enough to remove all the skin from a corpse," he said.
"Because this system allowed us to treat so many burn victims, our
department became the most reputable and profitable" in the province, Dr Wang
said.
'Unethical' behaviour
But, he added: "Whatever impact I have made in the lives of burn victims
and transplant patients does not excuse the unethical and immoral manner of
extracting organs".
The US Congress is considering punitive action against China in light of
the reports.
Republican representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, from Florida, has introduced
a bill to ban Chinese doctors from receiving transplant training in the US.
An official from the State Department human rights bureau described the
alleged organ harvesting as "repugnant".
Asked by Congress if it was possible that reports of the practice were
unfounded, the official, Michael Parmly, said the evidence was "overwhelming and
growing" and the sources who reported it were "credible and numerous".
---------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation - June 28,
2001.
Refugees threaten action
A Burmese student leader at Maneeloy holding centre yesterday vowed to
resist the closing of the centre, saying the students will stage hunger strikes
or commit suicide if they are forced to move to another place pending their
resettlement in third countries.
Gyaw Tura, a representative of the Alliance of Burmese Students, said they
would file a petition with the National Security Council (NSC) and His Majesty
the King to stop the plan.
According to Gyaw Tura, the students will stay put until democracy in Burma
is restored.
"We came to Thailand not to stay permanently. Once democracy is restored in
Burma, we will return. We are fighting for democracy. If the camp is closed, how
can we do that," he said.
Gyaw Tura said the students were concerned with security at the new centre
in Tak province. They fear it is too close to the border and are not sure the
communication facilities there will be as convenient as they are at the Maneeloy
camp.
NSC secretary-general Khachadpai Burusapatana said the camp would be closed
down this year, and about 300 of 600 inmates would be prosecuted for entering
Thailand illegally.
A UNHCR official said the people who are in the camp illegally may apply
for refugee status with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Some may have
already applied and been rejected, the official said, speaking on condition of
anonymity.
---------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation - June 28,
2001.
Scholars reserved over
Burma
Vorapun Srivoranart
Scholars yesterday welcomed an easing of tensions between Thailand and
Burma in the wake of the Prime Minister's meeting with Burmese leaders, but
warned against pinning too much hope on an abrupt normalisation.
Thai-Burmese problems were structural in nature and had been left
unattended for decades, the scholars said. They agreed on the urgent need to
remove conditions that could lead to war and for the creation of an atmosphere
of friendship based on mutual appreciation of each side's constraints.
Burma expert Sunait Chutintaranond questioned the substance of last week's
summit meeting other than the reopening of the Mae Sai-Tachilek border
checkpoint. It would not be fair to place a "high ceiling of expectation" on
Thaksin's 25-hour visit to Burma, he said at a seminar on Thai-Burmese relations
at Chulalongkorn University.
"The key is to build mutual acceptance of the constraints faced by both
sides," he said, adding that in reality Rangoon could not rein in the Wa, while
Bangkok could not muzzle the media.
---------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation - June 28,
2001.
EDITORIAL: PM hands junta a few ace cards
Will the prenuptial arrangement between Thailand and Burma brought about by
the visit of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to Rangoon last week last? Or is
it just a marriage of convenience, a foil for both parties to be seen to be
doing something? It should only take about three months before we know the
answer to that. This time-frame is sufficient for both sides to show the level
of their sincerity and willingness to engage and work together to solve their
mutual problems.
Certainly, the reopening of a major border checkpoint at Mae Sai-Tachilek
has taken some of the steam out of the simmering relationship. In Thailand's
case at least, it has eased some of the domestic pressure from local traders who
have been hurt badly by the checkpoint closure over the past several months. On
the other side of the border, many Burmese who relied on the checkpoint to sell
goods in Thailand or purchase necessities unavailable at home are no doubt
feeling happier (regrettably, they have no free press to complain to or to help
them to put pressure on the Rangoon regime).
For the ruling authorities in both countries, the move is a smart one. For
the Thaksin administration, it makes it look as though the prime minister is
achieving some solid progress after much criticism. For the junta, it serves the
dual purpose of settling restive natives of the district while making it look
like they are prepared to be more accommodating to the outside world.
But bilateral problems are more than just the opening of border checkpoints
or granting fishing rights. There are myriad other issues to be resolved, such
as drugs, migrant workers, minorities and other cross-border problems which need
structural changes for lasting solutions. For the time being, both sides are
still dilly-dallying about cooperation in drug suppression and issues related to
minority groups. The resumption of border-related mechanisms such as the Joint
Border Committee is laudable as it provides a venue in which to address serious
problems. Time will tell if both sides are for real, however.
For the time being, Burma will exploit whatever gains it can get from
dealing with the Thaksin government. The most important outcome is a further
weakening of the international coalition opposed to the junta (Thailand's
critical position in the International Labour Organisation is no more, for
example). It will also provide incentives for other countries to increase
contacts and the level of assistance for Burma. Whatever leverage Thailand has
attained in recent years in regards to the junta has disappeared, perhaps
forever.
It will be no surprise if Burma responds in kind in the next few months in
a manner that is sufficient to create a momentum to extract further concessions
from Thailand. In return, Burma will offer Thailand lucrative deals on oil and
gas and other big projects that will please the Thaskin government. Meanwhile,
it is the responsibility of the Thai government to see to it that drug smuggling
and other illegal operations are wiped out.
Thailand has pinned rather high hopes on the drug summit planned for
Kunming, China. Will it be the magic wand it seeks to resolve the drug problem,
though? China has agreed to Thailand's request to host the summit, but
eradication does require the cooperation of Burma and Laos.
The Thaksin government has taken a high-risk strategy in dealing with
Burma. It has been willing to ignore the sticky points and glide over their
common desires. Certainly, if there are to be any repercussions, they will
surface soon enough. Like it or not, Thaksin has handed the Burmese junta a
golden opportunity. The question that remains is: what's in it for
Thailand?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bangkok Post - June 28,
2001.
Warning credibility could be
stretched
'Some issues just can't be ignored' Achara Ashayagachat
The government will be hard put to keep its credibility with the Burmese
opposition parties now that it has kissed and made up with the ruling junta,
academics said yesterday.
Surachart Bamrungsuk, a Chulalongkorn University political scientist, said
the government could not avoid dealing with the issues of democratisation and
national reconciliation in Burma. The previous government had advocated
democratisation as its main policy towards Burma.
Sunait Chutintaranond, an expert on Burmese history, said Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra now had to prove his ability to deal with other political
forces in Burma, such as the National League for Democracy and ethnic
minorities.
"Mr Thaksin is now riding the tiger and all eyes are watching how he will
move from this point to advocate concerns like human rights and humanitarianism
in the neighbouring country," Mr Sunait said.
The premier's 25-hour visit to Rangoon last week, he stressed, could not be
expected to solve Burma's structural problems affecting Thailand including a
long-time quest for national unity.
There were also the problems of refugees, economic migrants, and drugs,
which had been systematically developed like a legal business since
pre-independence days, Mr Sunait said.
The fishing ban on Thai trawler operators did not only involve a fishing
concession, "but the issue of long-term natural resources management".
The reopening of the Tachilek-Mae Sai border was no sweet deal but an
exchange for the lifting of tariff barriers, he said.
Towards better ties, Thailand and Burma must understand each other's
limitations: Burma's inability to control the Wa, and Thailand's to control the
media.
Mr Surachart stressed the need for Thailand to manage relations with
neighbours like Burma properly as small states could not afford to go to war
with each other.
To this end, he proposed:- Reactivation of operation-level dispute
mechanisms like the Township Border Committee and the Regional Border Committee
would help.
- Encouragement of cross-border contact between chambers of commerce and
local communities as alternative channels in the event of a military
conflict.
- Employing more than maps to negotiate border demarcation since that could
put the country at a disadvantage.
"We may have to exchange certain pieces of land with each other to really
settle the remaining non-demarcated 2,351-kilometre borderline, or, we may have
to build up an additional database from annexed protocols or treaties other than
maps," he said.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar Discloses GDP Target for
2001-02
2001.06.28 11:20:10 YANGON, June 28 (Xinhuanet) --
Myanmar's gross domestic product ( GDP) for the present fiscal year 2001-02
which began in April is targeted at 1,001.43 billion Kyats (about 2.86
billion U.S. dollars), official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar quoted
the country's leader Senior-General Than Shwe as disclosing
Thursday.
At an opening ceremony here on Wednesday of a Myanmar and
international studies course conducted by the Union Solidarity Development
Association, Than Shwe, who is chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and
Development Council, also disclosed that the country's GDP reached 899.52
billion Kyats (2.57 billion dollars) in the last fiscal year of
2000-01.
He noted that Myanmar has been able to implement economic enterprises
since 1992, before which priority was given to ensure national peace and
stability.
The end of the domestic armed conflicts has resulted in winning back
national consolidation, leading to restoration of peace in the respective
regions, he said.
He concluded that such a favorable situation has contributed towards
the emergence of national development tasks nationwide and success of the
economic enterprises.
---------------------------------------------------------------- 53 Fires Occur in Myanmar in
May
2001.06.28 09:40:31 YANGON, June 28 (Xinhuanet) --
A total of 53 fires broke out in Myanmar in May this year, causing a loss
of 32.6 million Kyats ( about 93,140 U.S. dollars) worth of property,
according to the country's Fire Department Thursday.
Of the fire cases in the month, 32 were due to negligence, eight to
electrical faults, 11 to arson, one to forest fire and one to
spontaneity.
Of the fires, 20 broke out in Yangon division, the sources said, declining
however to disclose the casualties in the fire.
In April, 131 fires occurred in the country, causing a loss of 197.47
million Kyats (about 564,200 dollars) worth of property.
Most of the fire cases in Myanmar were generally due to negligence,
accounting for 60.38 percent.
Although the rainy season has set in all over the country which will last
until the beginning of October, the Myanmar authorities are urging the
people to continue to take fire prevention measures and to have buildings,
factories, warehouses and hospitals well inspected and get fire equipment
ready.
Myanmar's fire prevention services are carried out through over 540 fire
stations and by over 71,300 firemen, according to the
department.
---------------------------------------------------------------- South China Morning Post
Thursday, June 28, 2001
Opposition reopens branch office after
easing of restrictions
ASSOCIATED PRESS in Taikkyi Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's party reopened a branch office outside
the capital on Thursday amid signs that the ruling military junta is easing
restrictions on the pro-democracy opposition.
About 30 members and leaders of the National League for Democracy attended
a ceremony to fix a party signboard on the rundown thatch and bamboo hut that
will serve as the party office in Taikkyi town.
It is the first party office allowed to be reopened by the junta since a
crackdown in 1998 closed many of the 40 branches in and around the capital,
Rangoon.
''This is an auspicious moment, and the result of the talks between the NLD
and the military leaders,'' Soe Myint, a member of the Central Executive
Committee, said after the signboard was put up.
The tin board is the same that was removed from the party office, then
located in a different building, during the 1998 crackdown. The party name was
painted afresh on the reverse side of the board.
For good luck, a bunch of euginia leaves was tied to a pole atop which a
faded party flag fluttered. About 15 plainclothes intelligence officers and
police took photos and video of the proceedings.
Soe Myint said another branch office is scheduled to reopen Friday in
Hmawbi, 25km from Rangoon. Taikkyi is about 60km north of Rangoon.
The junta has been holding reconciliation talks for the last 10 months with
Suu Kyi while keeping her under virtual detention in her house. Party chairman
Aung Shwe and vice chairman Tin Oo also remain under virtual house arrest.
Details of the talks have not emerged but the junta appears to have made
some concessions in recent months.
Since January, more than 100 NLD members have been freed from detention,
including 13 elected party members who were released this week.
Authorities have also give the NLD permission to reopen 18 branch offices
around Rangoon, out of which nine will be allowed to put up party
signboards.
The boards are the only visible symbol of the opposition in a country that
remains firmly in the grip of the military, which has been in power continuously
since 1962.
The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after crushing a
pro-democracy movement in which thousands were killed. The junta called
elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power to the victorious NLD.
The party's call in mid-1998 to unilaterally convene a parliament triggered
the government crackdown in which many party offices were closed and several
others had their signboards pulled down. Hundreds of party members were also
arrested.
Tin Shein, the chairman of the Taikkyi office, said the party will hold
regular meetings but only after notifying authorities.
''I am overwhelmed with happiness and joy,'' said Tin Shein, who also owns
the office shack.
Soe Mint thanked the authorities and Suu Kyi for making Thursday's event
happen, and urged party members to operate the office on the basis of
understanding, not confrontation.
---------------------------------------------------------------- |