Narinjara news

Burmese opposition leader’s first step in Rakhine State

Sittwe, 17^th December: The charismatic opposition leader of Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi arrived at Ann Town, at the threshold of Rakhine (Arakan) State in the western part of Burma, reports our correspondent by phone.

She has come to the town in the western Burmese state with a caravan of three motor vehicles from Minbu Town in Magwe Division of Burma proper at 3:15 local time. She was accompanied by the senior leader, U Tin Oo, of the National League for Democracy that won the 1990 general election – the election result of which was never honoured by the ruling military junta calling itself as State Peace and Development Council.

At Ann, she held a mass meeting for nearly three hours and exchanged views with the people. She is expected to spend the night at Munbra (Minbya) Town. From there her itinerary will continue to the northern town of Rakhine State.

|Our correspondent added that, the troops busy in guarding and supervising the forced labourers along the Sittwe – Rangoon road have provided protection by guarding from safe distance without getting noticed. Major Tin Maung Aye, from Military Intelligence, was seen videotaping the opposition leader and her group. Since there was a warning from the Western Command not to follow the opposition leader, the MI major was found to keep a distance of two miles from her, our correspondent quoted sources.

The cheering people in the meeting expressed that, this was the first visit of the opposition leader to the state and people were eagerly waiting to get a view of her. It is hoped that she will open three NLD township branch offices and revitalize the mothballed party in the western front.

In the 90 general election the NLD party clinched nine seats out of twenty-six in the state, while the Arakan League for Democracy got eleven seats. The two parties are aligned through the Committee Representing People's Parliament. #