Myanmar: Update to BUR28774.E of 10 February 1998: The National League for Democracy (NLD); its leader; treatment of members and their families by the present regime (1998-2002)

In its 2000 Annual Report for Burma, Amnesty International referred to the "continuing stand-off between the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC, the military government) and the National League for Democracy (NLD)," stating that the SPDC "continued to severely restrict the activities of the NLD" and that thousands of NLD members were reportedly forced to resign from the party (2000). Country Reports 2001 reported that since 1990 "many thousands of members" were pressured to resign from the NLD and that the SPDC often prevented the party from carrying out "normal political activities" and closed party offices nationwide (2002).

Hundreds of NLD members were reportedly arrested during the period leading up to the tenth anniversary of the NLD election victory in May 2000 (Country Reports 2000 2001, section 1d; AI 2001), and in September 2000, Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the NLD, and other NLD Central Executive Committee members were placed under house arrest (ibid.; HRW 2001). Two of these, NLD president U Aung Shwe and vice-president U Tin Oo, were released from house arrest in August 2001 (AFP 27 Aug. 2001), however Aung San Suu Kyi currently remains under restrictions (BBC 1 Mar. 2002).

The government has reportedly "loosened restrictions" on NLD activities since late 2000 (Country Reports 2001 2002). Numerous sources reported on talks between NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and government officials that have taken place since October 2000 (ibid.; AFP 31 Jan. 2002; HRW 2002; Xinhua 9 Jan. 2002; Japan Economic Newswire 18 Feb. 2002). Contents of the talks have remained secret (AFP 27 Oct. 2001; Country Reports 2001 2002; BBC 30 Jan. 2002), and tanglible results have been few (ibid.). In apparent gestures of goodwill resulting from these talks, the SPDC has regularly released NLD members from detention (AFP 26 Jan. 2001; New York Times 27 Jan. 2001; Australian 2 Apr. 2001; Asian Political News 23 July 2001; AFP 27 Oct. 2001; HRW 2002; Xinhua 9 Jan. 2002; Japan Economic Newswire 18 Feb. 2002; BBC 1 Mar. 2002). Over 200 NLD members have been released (Xinhua 9 Jan. 2002; BBC 30 Jan. 2002; Country Reports 2001 2002), although some 800 members still remain in detention (ibid.; BBC 1 Mar. 2002). The government media have reportedly stopped their campaign against the NLD (Country Reports 2001 2002, section 2b; Xinhua 26 Jan. 2001). In June 2001 NLD offices were permitted to reopen and limited political activity was resumed in Rangoon (HRW 2002; Country Reports 2001 2002, section 2b), although restrictions on political activities remain outside of Rangoon (ibid.; HRW 2002).

Although "diplomatic sources" reported that Aung San Suu Kyi secretly met with a senior government official, possibly Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt or the country's head of state, General Than Shwe (BBC 30 Jan. 2002), the incident has been denied by the government (AFP 31 Jan. 2002). An NLD source said the alleged meeting would be seen as a "positive and significant step forward" (ibid.), as the dialogue between the two sides had appeared to have reached a standstill (ibid.; BBC 30 Jan. 2002).

No information on the treatment of NLD members' families could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 31 January 2002. "Burma Denies Meeting Between Top General, Suu Kyi." (FBIS-EAS-2002-0131 1 Feb. 2002/WNC)

_____. 27 October 2001. "Myanmar Releases Eight Political Prisoners." (FBIS-EAS-2001-1027 29 Oct. 2001/WNC)

_____. 27 August 2001. "Burma Lifts Restrictions on Two Senior Opposition NLD Leaders." (FBIS-EAS-2001-0827 28 Aug. 2001/WNC)

_____. 26 January 2001. "Myanmar Releases 85 Opposition Youth Wing Prisoners: ICRC." (NEXIS)

Amnesty International (AI). 2001. Annual Report 2001: Myanmar. [Accessed 4 Mar. 2002]

_____. 2000. Annual Report 2000: Myanmar. [Accessed 4 Mar. 2002]

Asian Political News. 23 July 2001. "Myanmar Releases 11 More Political Prisoners." (NEXIS)

The Australian [Sydney]. 2 April 2001. "Briefs: Freed By Junta." (NEXIS)

BBC News. 1 March 2002. "Five Freed in Burma." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2002]

_____. 30 January 2002. Larry Jagan. "Aung San Suu Kyi Meets Burma General." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2002]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2001. 4 March 2002. "Burma." [Accessed 5 Mar. 2002]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2000. 23 February 2001. "Burma." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2002]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 2002. Human Rights Watch World Report 2002: Burma. [Accessed 4 Mar. 2002]

_____. 2001. Human Rights Watch World Report 2001: Burma. [Accessed 4 Mar. 2002]

Japan Economic Newswire. 18 February 2002. "U.N. Rights Investigator Meets Suu Kyi." (NEXIS)

The New York Times. 27 January 2001. "News Summary: More Burmese Dissidents Freed." (NEXIS)

Xinhua. 9 January 2002. "Myanmar Government Releases Five More Political Prisoners." (NEXIS)

_____. 26 January 2001. "Myanmar Govt Releases 85 Opposition Youth Members." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

NEXIS

WNC

Internet sites including:

Burma Fund

CNN

National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma