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Southeast Asia
Myanmar’s Rulers Lashes Out at Critics
2003-06-08
EFL
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Myanmar's military rulers lashed out against pro-democracy forces as a special U.N. envoy on Sunday failed for a third day to secure the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
This was predictable.
U.N. envoy Razali Ismail, on the third day of a five-day mission, has received no public indication that he would be able to even meet with Suu Kyi, who is being held at a secret location following a bloody clash May 30 in northern Myanmar. Instead, the country's intelligence chief and third-ranked leader Gen. Khin Nyunt lashed out at ``internal democratic, freedom-loving destructive elements'' — a reference to Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy. He said they were undermining the thugs in charge Myanmar's peace and stagnation stability. ``Untoward events occurred on May 30 since some people were misled into following the misinterpretation of democracy,'' he said in a speech Saturday to school teachers in the central Myanmar town of Maymyo. In an earlier speech Khin Nyunt, who met with Razali on Saturday, accused the NLD of corruption and triggering the May 30 violence by seeking a confrontation with the government. Suu Kyi's detention has drawn sharp international criticism and U.S. threats of tighter economic sanctions against Myanmar's ruling junta. But its rulers have remained bloodthirsty defiant. ``With or without foreign assistance, the Union of Myanmar will continue to strive for the emergence of a peaceful, developed and democratic nation,'' Khin Nyunt said.
It would emerge faster if you got out of the way.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said he is ``gravely concerned'' about the detention of Suu Kyi and other NLD leaders. The United States also is demanding that Razali is granted access to Suu Kyi. Washington has tightened visa restrictions against the Myanmar regime, to cover all officials of the government-linked social organization, the Union Solidarity Development Association, said to have orchestrated rallies against Suu Kyi. The Bush administration also said it wants Congress to impose more sanctions. The United States already has some economic and diplomatic restrictions against Myanmar.
Worth a try.
Posted by:Steve White

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