Suu Kyi, military in war of words

Suu Kyi, military in war of words

YANGON (Agencies): Myanmar's military government launched a stinging attack on pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday as she entered the sixth day of a roadside confrontation with the authorities.

In its most strongly worded criticism of the 55-year-old Nobel laureate and her National League for Democracy (NLD) since the standoff began, the government said Suu Kyi's calls for sanctions and boycotts on Myanmar had harmed ordinary people.

"The people of Myanmar realize that they are being used as sacrificial lambs by the NLD in stopping all forms of foreign assistance and aid to Myanmar," it said in a statement.

"Although the party claims to be promoting human rights, in reality the very rights of the people of Myanmar to enjoy a better and fuller life have been undeniably violated and abused by the very same people calling for democracy and human rights."

The government lashed out at foreign governments which have condemned its treatment of Suu Kyi.

"Unfortunately, some of the Western media and governments have continued portraying Daw Suu Kyi as a person who is supported by all the Myanmar people. But reality cannot be ignored," it said. "People are undeniably resentful of the NLD for breaking their rice bowls."

Suu Kyi, her driver and 14 NLD members were halted by police in the town of Dala last Thursday as they headed south of the capital in two vehicles, and have been there since.

It was the first time Suu Kyi had tried to leave Yangon since another roadside confrontation in 1998 that ended after 13 days, when deteriorating health and dehydration forced her to return home in an ambulance.

Suu Kyi was under house arrest for six years until 1995 and her movements remain severely restricted.

Both the United States and European Union have demanded that restrictions on Suu Kyi be lifted.

State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said on Monday that U.S. officials understood the opposition figurehead had been prevented by the Myanmar authorities from seeing her personal physician.

The NLD dismissed the military's claims that travel in the Dallah region was unsafe.

"If military authorities justify their action on grounds of lack of security even inside Yangon city limits, then their repeated contention that unprecedented peace prevails in Myanmar is nothing but a blatant lie," it said.

Diplomatic sources have also confirmed that there have been no reports of rebel activity in the area. Reeker said that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was closely monitoring developments in the opposition leader's latest challenge to the military government.

Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan has warned the stand-off could tarnish the image of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Bangkok Post quoted Surin as saying the stand-off was "of much concern" to the international community and could jeopardize a planned meeting of ASEAN and European Union foreign ministers in Laos in December.

It would be the first ministerial meeting of the two groups since ASEAN controversially admitted Myanmar in 1997 despite international condemnation of its human rights record.

"We ourselves also don't want the problem to continue because it may affect the image of ASEAN as a whole," Surin said.

The Myanmar government's attack on the NLD came after the opposition accused it of violating Suu Kyi's rights.

"The actions of the authorities amount to a violation of democracy and human rights," the NLD said.