Myanmar urges end to 9-9-99 drive

Myanmar urges end to 9-9-99 drive

YANGON (Agencies): Myanmar's ruling military appealed to prodemocracy opposition forces on Sunday to put aside plans for a popular uprising this week and contribute "meaningfully" to the development of the nation.

The junta accused the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi of working with dissidents to provoke unrest on Sept. 9.

The junta said foreign governments were working with the opposition to encourage the population to demand various human rights.

Dissidents have said they are planning an uprising to replicate the protests 11 years ago on August 8, 1988, or 8/8/88, when hundreds of prodemocracy protectors were gunned down and a junta took power from dictator Gen. Ne Win.

The junta on Sunday accused dissidents in exile of "spreading malicious rumors" after they said authorities had arrested about 500 people to thwart an uprising called for this week.