BURMA: RANGOON: MILITARY CONTINUE TO CONTROL STREETS

(15 Dec 1996) Natural Sound

Burma's military continue to control the streets of the capital Rangoon with an iron hand this weekend.

Riot police surround the home of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi Saturday - confining her to her Rangoon home.

Meanwhile tanks and troops continue to patrol the streets of Rangoon in a bid to prevent further student demonstrations.

The last week has seen the boldest display of civil dissent since Burma's 1988 democracy uprising.

Troops are making their presence felt on the streets of Rangoon Saturday after a week of student unrest.

Not since the bloody student uprising in 1988 - when the ruling military junta cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrators - has Burma seen such bold scenes.

Students have been staging sit-ins - demanding an end to police brutality, the right to form a students' union, and greater civil liberties.

Some have also used the protests to call for democracy in this land long ruled by military regimes.

The students' demonstrations have prompted the ruling junta to confine pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to her home.

Riot police have physically blocked the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner at her lakeside compound since last weekend - preventing her from meeting with her supporters at the Saya San Junction.

Three hundred of them waited in vain for her Saturday.

For the past several weekends, she has met her supporters at the Saya San junction - named after a Buddhist monk who led a failed uprising against British rule during the 1930s.

The junta is demanding that Suu Kyi asks permission to leave her home - party officials from her National Democracy League say she refuses to give in.

Suu Kyi claims she is being illegally confined.

Four armoured personnel carriers loaded with soldiers are also now guarding the home of General Than Shwe, the leader of the ruling junta.

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