from 28-10-1997 to 12-12-2002
Collected by – Khin Kyaw Han
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Tuesday, October 28, 1997 Published at 10:38 GMT
World: Far East
Burmese Opposition Blocked
The Burmese military authorities have prevented the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from holding a meeting with her supporters in a township,on the outskirts of the capital, Rangoon.
Last week the authorities permitted her to address a similar meeting -- a move interpreted at the time as a relaxation of the restrictions enforced since her release from house arrest in 1995.
Officials of her party, the National League for Democracy, said the meetings are intended to enable Aung San Suu Kyi to reorganise the party's Youth League.
But corespondents say it's clear the military authorities aren't prepared to let her do this.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Wednesday, 5 November, 1997, 06:43 GMT
Burma: Suu Kyi Stopped
Police in Burma have taken action to prevent the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from addressing a meeting of her party in the outskirts of the capital, Rangoon.
Reports say riot police put up barricades and barbed wire around the office the National League for Democracy in the township of Tamwe before the meeting was due to start.
Party sources said about twenty youth members had been detained.
Aung San Suu Kyi cancelled a similar meeting in Tamwe on Tuesday, after failing to obtain police permission for it.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Wednesday, 5 November, 1997, 16:04 GMT
Burmese opposition speaks out
The opposition National League for Democracy in Burma has criticised the ruling military authorities for restricting the movements of its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
A party statement said the erection of barricades by riot police to prevent Aung San Suu Kyi from addressing a party meeting in the township of Tamwewas unlawful.
The authorities denied they were restricting Aung San Suu Kyi's movements but that the party's activities threatened the stability of the country.
The military authorities blamed Aung San Suu Kyi for what they described as unnecessary setbacks in Burma's transition to democracy.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Thursday, November 13, 1997 Published at 20:20 GMT
World: Far East
Burmese opposition leader kept in own home
The military government in Burma has again prevented the pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from leaving her home in the capital, Rangoon, to meet members of her party, the National League for Democracy.
Party members said her car was stopped by barbed wire barricades as she was leaving to attend the meeting just outside Rangoon in the Hlaing district.
Police also barred the way to senior party officials who tried to enter the compound to see her.
A government statement said it prevented the meeting to deter, as it put it, unnecessary disturbance of the peace.
The NLD has condemned the action as unlawful.
Correspondents say this is the third consecutive meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her party that the military government has halted.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Saturday, 15 November, 1997, 00:46 GMT
US Denounces Burma
The United States has criticised the Burmese authorities for preventing the pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from meeting members of her political party, the National League for Democracy.
On Friday, her car was blocked by barbed wire barricades as she was leaving home in the capital, Rangoon, to attend the meeting.
A State Department spokesman described the move as the latest in a long line of repressive measures by the Burmese military government to marginalise the NLD.
He urged the authorities in Rangoon to open dialogue with the party and to allow it to carry out activities without intervention.
Earlier, the Burmese government said it prevented the meeting to deter what it called unnecessary disturbance of the peace.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Monday, 24 November, 1997, 11:28 GMT
Burmese military government allows democracy meeting
The military authorities in Burma have allowed about three-hundred supporters of the National League for Democracy to gather at the home of its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, to celebrate National Day.
In a statement, the ruling State Peace and Development Council said the government needed the co-operation of all political parties in Burma to make the transition to democracy.
Earlier this month, the Burmese military authorities prevented a series of NLD meetings by restricting the movements of Aung San Suu Kyi and arresting her supporters.
But correspondents say there are now signs of a struggle between hardliners and those who favour a less hostile approach to the democracy movement.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Friday, 12 December, 1997, 13:21 GMT
Burmese democrats deny leader's resignation
The military authorities in Burma say the vice-chairman of the National League for Democracy, Kyi Maung, has resigned from the party because of disagreements with its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
But senior NLD officials immediately denied the report.
Its other vice-chairman, Tin Oo, called the military statement a baseless lie, and said Kyi Maung was just taking things easier because of his advanced age.
Correspondents say the pro-government media in Burma often carries reports of alleged conflicts within the NLD leadership.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Monday, 15 December, 1997, 15:53 GMT
Asean urged to support Burmese democracy
The leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, has urged Asean leaders meeting in Kuala Lumpur to support political change in her country.
In a message released by a human rights group in Bangkok, Alternative Asean Network on Burma Aung San Suu Kyi said there would be no stability or sustainable economic development without political reform.
She said she believed the people of Asean countries wanted to see a Burmese government that was accountable to the population.
Aung San Suu Kyi opposed Burma's entry to Asean earlier this year, advocating international isolation of the military government.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Tuesday, 16 December, 1997, 07:29 GMT
Suu Kyi honoured by Oxford
The Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been awarded the freedom of the city of Oxford, where she spent much of her life before returning to Burma in 1988.
In an acceptance speech read by her son, Kim Aris, she said it felt strange that only now, when she was not in a position to be in Oxford, she had been granted the freedom of the city.
Her son accused the Burmese authorities of cruel and immoral behaviour in denying him and his father visas to visit Ms Suu Kyi.
On Monday Ms Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, urged Asean leaders meeting in Kuala Lumpur to support political change in her country.
In a message released by a human rights group in Bangkok, Alternative Asean Network on Burma she said there would be no stability or sustainable economic development without political reform.
She said she believed the people of Asean countries wanted to see a Burmese government that was accountable to the population.
Ms Suu Kyi opposed Burma's entry to Asean earlier this year, advocating international isolation of the military government.
Malaysia, a close ally of the Rangoon regime, said on Monday it would not insist Burma attends next year's Asia-Europe summit.
Three months ago the Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, warned Asean members might boycott the meeting if Burma was not allowed to attend.
The UK, which will chairing the meeting as part of their EU presidency, had refused to allow Burma to participate as EU sanctions deny visas to Burmese officials.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Sunday, January 4, 1998 Published at 15:41 GMT
World
Plea for democracy as Burma marks anniversary
Aung San Suu Kyi lashed out at Burma's ruling generals
The leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement says she hopes the country's 50th year of independence from Britain will bring greater respect for human rights.
Aung San Suu Kyi has appealed to Burma's military government to open a dialogue to resolve political issues and attempt to achieve reconciliation.
She was addressing supporters of her National League for Democracy as Burma, now officially known as Myanmar, celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence from Britain on Sunday.
In a statement read at a ceremony before dawn, the chairman of Burma's ruling State Peace and Development Council, General Than Shwe, called for vigilance against those seeking to disrupt stability on the pretext of democracy and human rights.
The vigilance was apparent in the heightened security on the streets of the capital, Rangoon.
Armed policemen were placed at several strategic locations in and security was tight outside the house of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The 600 people who arrived at the house for her annual independence day celebration were stopped at checkpoints and forced to identify themselves before being allowed in to her compound.
Suu Kyi, daughter of Myanmar independence hero General Aung San, called on the government to hold talks with the opposition, and lashed out at the ruling generals for failing to give the freedoms fought for by her father and other freedom fighters.
"Although the independence of the nation has turned to a Golden Jubilee, its situation is not as bright and beautiful even as silver - its far from gold," she said.
"Our inability to implement unity among national races and to create internal peace, the lack of human rights and the low standard of living of the people and the declining economy of the country are not as beautiful as gold."
Repeating a request she has made often since being released from six years of house arrest in July 1995, she called for dialogue with the government.
"The NLD will keep making efforts to solve the political issues by holding dialogue in view of the people's interest," she said.
The military has held power since 1962, despite an election victory by the National League for Democracy in 1990.
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Tuesday, 20 January, 1998, 17:35 GMT
UN mediates in Burmese deadlock
A senior United Nations official, Alvaro De Soto, arrives in Rangoon later on Tuesday for talks with Burma's ruling military government and opposition leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
The BBC South-East-Asia correspondent says Mr De Soto is expected to urge both sides to begin talks to break Burma's political stalemate.
Last month, the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, met the Burmese leader, General Than Shwe, to press for free elections and improvements in human rights.
But our correspondent says Mr De Soto will find it hard making any progress on those issues.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Monday, 16 February, 1998, 12:20 GMT
Burmese government turns down reported opposition suggestion on power sharing
The Burmese government has dismissed comments in a Thai newspaper The Nationby opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in which she was reported to have spoken about her party's readiness to share power.
A spokesman said the suggestion was improper and unrealistic, adding that the present government was transitional and would be dissolved after elections to be held at an unspecified date.
The newspaper quoted Suu Kyi as saying her party, the National League for Democracy, was keeping all its options open and that it was important never to say never in politics.
But the party's vice-president (Tin Oo) has denied the Thai report.
He told Reuters news agency that the news about power sharing was not true.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Monday, March 30, 1998 Published at 06:03 GMT 07:03 UK
World: S/W Asia
Britain 'insincere' over Burma
In the video, Aung San Suu Kyi accuses Premier Oil of acting selfishly
Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy leader, has questioned the sincerity of the UK Government's stance towards her country in remarks criticising the role of a British oil company there.
In a video recording smuggled out of Burma, the Nobel peace laureate said Premier Oil was guilty of supporting Burma's military regime by planning to help develop off-shore gas reserves.
She asked why the UK Government did not stop it.
"Premier Oil is not only supporting the military government financially, it is also giving it moral support, and it is doing a great disservice in the name of democracy," said Suu Kyi.
"Why is the British government pursuing one policy and British companies pursuing another?"
'Contributing to repression'
There are some who might think that perhaps the British government is not altogether sincere if it permits its companies to invest under the present regime.
"Any company that is dealing with a repressive government contributes to repression in the country.
"We are inclined to think that Premier Oil came in because they hope to reap rich profits from coming into Burma at this time."
Suu Kyi was placed under house restriction by the Burmese regime. The video was released ahead of the Asia-Europe meeting in London on April 2 to 4.
The UK Government has proclaimed its support for an "ethical foreign policy" and condemned the regime.
Multi-million dollar pipeline
According to reports, Premier Oil plans to help build a multi-million dollar gas pipeline across Burmese territory into Thailand.
It is reportedly one of several companies involved in the project. The others come from the US, France, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand.
The pipeline will run through an area where people have already been forcibly relocated by the military, said Burma Action Group, a British-based human rights monitoring organisation.
"Burma must be the lowest benchmark for the government's ethical foreign policy," said group director Yvette Mahon.
The group said refugees fleeing the area reported that relocations have been carried out to secure a route for gas exporting facilities of an earlier project operated by Total Oil.
The Burmese regime has been condemned internationally for human rights abuses and for profiting from the export of illegal opium and heroin.
In September 1997, the UK Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, said the regime was "not only deeply repressive... but it is also a deeply irresponsible regime in that it is one of the few governments in the world whose members are prepared to profit out of the drugs trade rather than to seek to suppress the drugs trade."
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Monday, 25 May, 1998, 16:37 GMT17:37UK
Bunta's junta detains Suu Kyi supporters
Reports from Burma say the ruling military junta has detained at least twenty-five members of the opposition, in an attempt to prevent celebrations planned to commemorate the party's 1990 election victory, which was notrecognised by the military.
The country's military rulers have already warned the National League for Democracy to cancel the gathering because they said it would destabilise the country.
A spokesman for the party said the detainees were regional leaders, who had been planning to travel to Rangoon for the ceremony.
Last May, the junta prevented a similar gathering by detaining hundreds of members of the National League for Democracy.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Wednesday, 27 May, 1998, 10:01 GMT11:01UK
Burma opposition commemorates election victory
Several hundred supporters of the Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, have been meeting at her home in the capital, Rangoon, to mark the eighth anniversary of their short-lived election victory.
The Burmese military authorities, who refused to recognise the results of the 1990 poll, have discouraged any celebrations by the National League for Democracy in the past.
Aung San Suu Kyi praised the decision of the authorities to allow this year's gathering to go ahead, appealing for what she described as meaningful political dialogue.
Extra riot police were posted around her home and some opposition officials say many of their supporters were detained to prevent them attending the meeting.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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Wednesday, May 27, 1998 Published at 10:30 GMT 11:30 UK
World: S/W Asia
Opposition allowed to meet in Rangoon
Aung San Suu Kyi says the meeting alone is not enough
Several hundred members of the Burmese opposition party have gathered at the home of their leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, in Rangoon to commemorate their party's short-lived election victory eight years ago.