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| Southeast Asia |
| Myanmar Reopens Opposition Headquarters |
| 2004-04-17 |
| YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Myanmar's military government on Saturday reopened the headquarters of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy party, almost a year after shutting it and all other party offices, a party official said. The government appeared to be bowing to intense international pressure to ease restrictions against democracy proponents. The move comes a month before a constitutional convention, part of the ruling junta's stated plan to move the country toward democracy. However, critics have argued that such apparent concessions are aimed a deflecting criticism against Myanmar's hard-line rule rather than granting greater freedoms. It was unclear whether the step indicates the government is preparing to release Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest. On Saturday, three government officials broke open the wax seal on a lock on the pro-democracy party's office door near the Shwedagon Pagoda in the capital, Yangon, said Maung Maung Yin, an NLD official. The development coincided with the first day of the Burmese New Year, when people believe doing good deeds will earn them merit. "It is an auspicious day, it's New Year's Day and we are very happy that the headquarters was reopened today," Maung Maung Yin told The Associated Press. He said the three officials came to his house in the morning and asked him to accompany them while they broke open the seal at the dilapidated two-story building. Maung Maung Yin said the government officials told him they would not go inside the premises. "They said, 'it is open now.'" |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 So it's Myanmar this week? Why don't they just do one of those Chad/ Rumanian flag things. It'd cut down on the confusion, unless Burma and Myanmar decide to go to war. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-04-17 1:20:38 AM |