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NLD Statement 66/2000:

National League for Democracy
No: (97/B), West Shwegonedine Road
Bahan Township, Rangoon

Statement 66(5/00) (translation)

1. The National League for Democracy is not only a legally constituted political party, it won a stunning victory in the elections being overwhelmingly supported by the masses and the arms bearing soldiers of the army, air and naval forces and the members of the police force.

2. The party that wins an election is trusted and empowered to act in accordance with the law for the good of the people and to conduct the internal businesses of the party.

3. Being thus empowered and entrusted, the leaders of the party and the members of the Youth Wing met together on the 29 April 2000 in the branch office at Taungdwingyi township (Magwe Division). They discussed party matters relating to campaigns of the organisation.

4.For so doing, Chairman of the organising committee U Mya Saing's house was raided at 12 midnight on the 30 April, 2000 without a search warrant and he was taken away without an arrest warrant. Similarly early next morning at 2:30 a.m. the Secretary of the Organising Committee U Tin Win's house was raided and he was taken away without a search or arrest warrant.

5. Two other members of the organising committee were also taken away and all were detained at No 3 Taungdwingyi Police Lock Up.

6. Information received is that on the following day (30 April 2000) all who attended the meeting of the 29th in the branch office, Committee members,Youth members, boys and girls totalling 37 were similarly arrested and taken away without any reasons or cause shown., without search or arrest warrants. Some of the Youth members were handcuffed and taken away.

7. The adults and youth members are respectable, law abiding workers who have never violated the law but have been honestly earning their daily living and they hail from the following villages and village tracts in Taungdwingyi township :- Pein-ne-bin, Tha-phan-gon, Chaung-ne, Koke-ko-hla, Kan -bay, Kyun-daw, Ywa-ma-na, The-gon, Paya-kwin, Shwe-in-bin, Kade-kone, Pauk, Htan-bin-su, and Kan-be-ta-loke-pin.

8. Meeting and discussing peacefully party organizational matters is a legal activity. The military intelligence and the authorities are now acting willy nilly without exercising common sense, totally disregarding the laws in force and failing to show common courtesy to fellow human beings. They are behaving most shamefully and abominably disgracing the country without any consideration of our common culture.

9. Disregarding the laws they themselves made which are still in force, the military tyrants (anashins) are exercising extreme power in capturing and imprisoning innocent people who have committed no crime whatsoever. Consequently the country suffers irreparable loss and damage. We therefore strongly denounce and abhor the illegal arrests and demand that the people who have been arrested and detained be immediately released.

Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
5 May 2000