Upshot of Myanmar Crackdown: Democracy?

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi predicted Saturday that the military regime’s crackdown on her supporters will backfire, fueling the cause of democracy.

“The arrests have very much helped our cause, but I’m afraid it has not been easy for those that have been arrested,” she said in an interview.

The government arrested more democracy activists Saturday, bringing the total number of those detained to 256--nearly all of them activists who were expected to attend a meeting today of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy.

The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma--a self-appointed exile government based in the Myanmar jungle--said one detainee has died in custody. The report could not be confirmed.

The government permitted Suu Kyi to deliver her weekly speech at the gates of her compound Saturday, and she told the crowd of 5,000--more than twice the usual number--that the party meeting would proceed.

“Our meeting today is far bigger than usual in spite of the inclement weather,” said Suu Kyi, who won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. “This is an indication that the people . . . approve of what we are doing and support fully our intentions to hold the conference tomorrow.”

The meeting would be the first full party conference for the NLD since it won national elections in July 1990. It would also be the first time that any major opposition meeting has taken place since Suu Kyi was released last July after six years of house arrest.

The government has not said whether it will allow the meeting to take place, but Suu Kyi’s supporters continued with preparations. In a bamboo and thatch hall erected on her front lawn, dozens of volunteers arranged chairs and hung the red and gold banners with the party symbol, a fighting peacock.

Suu Kyi said the government had rounded up 256 party supporters, including 232 representatives elected during the 1990 general election. After her party won 392 of 485 contested seats, the military refused to hand over power.

Suu Kyi said in the interview she believes that the crackdown has exposed the repressive nature of the regime.

“There is no despondency. We see this as a time for action, a time for a lot of intelligent thinking. And it’s been a bit exhausting,” she said.

She described the government crackdown as an overreaction that “very much illustrates the heavy hand with which this regime is ruling.”

The White House condemned the arrests Saturday, calling on Myanmar’s military regime to release all detainees immediately.

White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry said the United States is discussing “a coordinated response” to events in Myanmar with European and Asian nations.

“We again call on the authorities [in Myanmar] to engage in a meaningful political dialogue with the democratic opposition leaders,” McCurry said in a statement.

He also urged U.S. citizens to reconsider nonessential travel to Myanmar.