Hope emerges in divided Myanmar

Hope emerges in divided Myanmar

By Deborah Charles

BANGKOK (Reuter): The first meeting in two years between a top Myanmar military general and leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party is a key step towards improving relations between the two sides, diplomats and a government official said last Friday.

Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, one of the most powerful men in Myanmar's military government, met National League for Democracy (NLD) chairman Aung Shwe and two other party leaders last Thursday for talks.

It was the first time any senior member of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) had met NLD officials since Suu Kyi was released from six years of house arrest in 1995.

"It's an absolute shock, a real surprise," said one diplomat about the talks, which government and NLD sources said dealt with recent allegations by the SLORC that the NLD was involved in terrorist activities and had received financial assistance from foreigners to help in their actions.

A senior government official told Reuters by telephone from Yangon that last Thursday's meeting was part of a government plan to improve communication between the two sides.

"This is the government's step-by-step approach according to its own schedule," the official said. "Both sides have had a chance to express what they want to say...and get explanations on whatever they have doubts about. It is good."

"We decided the time had come to meet with them, but it's not due to external pressure," he added.

He said it was not timed to coincide with Myanmar's admission to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) this week. Some ASEAN officials had been reported to have urged SLORC to hold talks with the NLD.

Suu Kyi has made repeated requests to the SLORC for dialogue since her release two years ago, and many foreign governments have condemned Yangon for ignoring her plea for negotiations. The two sides have become deadlocked over the past year as the government intensified its crackdown against the democracy movement, arrested party members and attacked the NLD and Suu Kyi through state-run media and speeches by top officials.

Last month, Khin Nyunt accused the NLD of accepting more than $85,000 from two covert U.S. agents. He also linked the NLD to recent bombings in Myanmar. Suu Kyi denied the accusations. Diplomats welcomed the talks but were cautious over whether it signified the beginning of a true dialogue.

"It's definitely a step in the right direction and we haven't seen any step in the right direction since I've been here," said one diplomat who has lived in Yangon for two years.

"It's certainly positive, but whether it's going to run on or not we'll just have to wait and see," the diplomat said. The government official was also wary of saying this was the beginning of a series of talks.

"It's premature at this stage to expect future meetings," he said. "It would depend on the deeds or actions the NLD will pursue in the future."

NLD vice-chairman Tin Oo told Reuters last Thursday the talks did not constitute a dialogue as they did not include Suu Kyi.

"But we welcome the talks in general," he said. "We would also welcome any dialogue with the SLORC if it is in the true spirit of reconciliation," he said.

The NLD won a landslide victory in a 1990 election. The SLORC decided not to recognize the results and the NLD was never allowed to rule.

The SLORC seized power in 1989 after brutally suppressing nationwide pro-democracy demonstrations which left thousands dead or imprisoned.

The government has been accused of widespread human rights abuses. The United States imposed economic sanctions against Myanmar earlier this year for the abuses and its failure to recognize the 1990 victory of the NLD.