========================
Burmese Generals Hiding From Press At
India-Asean Rally
Surajit Khaund/Mizzima
News
The delegation of Burmese ministers at the India-Asean Rally has been
kept in tight security in the army
cantonment at Narengi, Guwahati,
and press people have not been
allowed to meet with them.
"We have to provide full security as per rules of the
army, so we
cannot allow them to meet anyone,"
a spokesperson for the army said.
Lieutenant General Myint of the
Ministry of Defense, northwestern
commander Major General Thar Aye, sports minister Brigadier General
Thura Aye Myint
and deputy foreign minister Maung Myint were present
at the India-Asean
car rally at the capital of
some senior army officials of the
Burmese junta.
Despite repeated requests from the press people they were
not allowed
to meet the ministers, and the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII),
the main organizer of the rally,
could not provide information on
them. Abhijit
Barooah, the senior CII member who is coordinating
the
delegates, said the Burmese were
kept in the army cantonment for fear
of security lapses..
"This has been conducted by the Army on its own," Barooah added..
Media people who gathered in Guwahati
to cover the historic rally were
disappointed at what was happening.
"Since they have come to witness
the historic rally, they (the
ministers ) should mix with the people,"
said a disappointed journalist.
The ministers who were supposed to address the rally were
cancelled at
the 11th hour due to shortage of time.Unconfirmed sources said they
had held a meeting with Indian
External Affairs minister Natwar Singh
today. But the Army refused to make
any comment in this regard.
The visit of the Burmese ministers also indicated that the
Indian
government has been constantly
putting pressure on the Burmese Junta
to drive out Indian rebels taking
shelter in their territory.
The 20-day-long rally will cross through Tamu,
Kengtung and Tachilek
(
(
in
..................................................................
Burma News International is a network of nine exiled media
groups
such as Mizzima
News, Shan Herald Agency for News, Kao Wao News Group,
Khonumthung News Group, Narinjara News, Kaladan Press
Network,
Independent Mon News Agency, Karenni Information
Network Group and Network Media Group.
.........................
Contact: Duty Editor
+66 9 54 94 296
bni_newsimna@yahoo.co.uk