NAY PYI TAW, 9 Sept - The Information Committee of the State Peace and Development Council yesterday issued Announcement No 2/2007. The following is the full text of the announcement.

After assuming State power on 18 September 1988, the government defined its four main duties and has continuously striven to facilitate smooth and secure transportation and to ensure food, clothing and shelter for the people. In addition, it has transformed the socialist economic system to the market economy in accordance with the desires of the people. At the same time, the government is working night and day to construct with increasing

momentum the political, economic and social infrastructures necessary to create a future democratic state.

Although profit should be given priority in changing over to the market system, for the benefit of the people the government has spent a large amount of funds at a loss on such sectors as social, health, education and transportation. Regarding fuel supply, for a long time the government has imported fuel from abroad and sold it internally at a subsidized price showing its constructive goodwill and to enable the people to buy it at a cheaper price.

However, the price of oil has been gradually increasing worldwide and these exorbitant prices have become a worldwide problem. Therefore, in other countries the domestic cost of oil has been raised in accordance with the prevailing international prices. In such a situation, Myanmar which sells imported oil at a loss for domestic consumption, had to gradually increase the subsidies on fuel. At the same time, the amount of money spent from the public funds on nation-building tasks has also become extremely high.

Therefore, the government, striking a balance to slightly reduce the amount of loss of State revenue on the one hand, and on the other hand to relieve the sufferings of the people due to increased fuel prices, has been compelled to increase the price of fuel to a certain extent. However, it can be seen that today's increased price of fuel is still less than half the price of fuel in other countries and in neighbouring countries. The increase in oil prices is not to make a profit for the State but to slightly reduce the burden of loss.

However, the NLD which has steadfastly pursued confrontation against the existing government, took advantage of the increased price of fuel by the State and tried to exploit the situation to mount a political attack. By accusing the government of causing an increase in general commodity prices due to the increased price of fuel, they agitated through various means to instigate riots and unrest among the people. The NLD conspired to create this situation to derail the national political process, in which the government and the people are working hand in hand, and to create their desired political agenda.

The National Convention, which is the first step of the seven-step road map policy, has successfully been completed. From attending the National Convention which started in 1993, in 1995 the NLD walked out from it through the sole decision of Daw Suu Kyi. The National Convention had to be temporally suspended in 1996 due to the NLD's walk-out. When it resumed in2004, the government magnanimously invited the NLD to participate in the National Convention but the party unilaterally refused.

Since then, the NLD has been adrift from the path of national politics and has tried steadfastly to destroy the National Convention.

Moreover, the NLD is agitating for the fulfillment of their three demands namely (1) a politically meaningful dialogue, (2) the participation of Daw Suu Kyi in the discussion and (3) a dialogue through a parliament called and formed in accordance with the results of the 1990 election, and in this way they tried to gain a political role for their party.

In order to realize their three demands and to regain participation in the political process of Myanmar, they sent letters to international organizations, embassies and governments requesting assistance. Furthermore, within the country they cooperated with the so-called “88” generation student groups and exile groups to bring about demonstrations, riots and terrorist acts similar to 1988 so as to exert pressure on the government.

It can be seen that the NLD made a declaration on 23 February 2007 which urged the people to use their rights to freely express their problems of economic hardships. Afterwards, the NLD tried to get youth members and members who were expelled from the party to engage in attempts to mass demonstrations conducted by the so-called 88 generation student groups and other remaining opposition groups. The NLD made a declaration on 20 August 2007 mentioning that today the people's conditions were on the verge of explosion due to economic problems, and that the authorities would have to bear the sole responsibilities if the country went into turmoil. That declaration was made to synchronize with the plans for rioting and unrest made by the NLD in combination with above-ground and under-ground movements of the NLD and other opposition groups.

After making such press releases to instigate the public unrest, the so-called 88 generation student groups in collusion with the NLD staged disturbances and demonstrations. In doing so, the NLD and the so-called 88 generation student groups placed their cadres near the site of demonstration beforehand in order to create the impression that the people themselves had participated in these acts. They also used touts to attract and organize the people. Similarly, fake monks, students and workers permeated into monasteries, schools and factories to instigate public unrest. Furthermore, unemployed people form far away places were hired with money to become involved in demonstrations.

However the people, who only want stability, security, peace and the rule of law and who did not wish to witness the riots and disturbances of 1988 again, did not participate in those riots and disturbances. In addition, citizens who loved peace and stability themselves tried to prevent the demonstrators from causing unrest in their wards and townships.

The NLD while on the one hand trying to stage such demonstrations, on the other hand in collusion with western embassies put out malicious news and declarations in order to create the impression internationally that many citizens were involved in the demonstrations and also that the government was savagely oppressing the peaceful demonstrators. The NLD's declaration of 5 September 2007 stated that it wished to make known to NLD members and the general public that the people's expression of their desires did not contravene the order No. 2/88 which banned groups of more than five people from assembling, demonstrating, making speeches and shouting slogans. It is clear that the NLD is blatantly instigating its members who have the objective of creating riots and disturbances and breaking the existing laws.

It is known that at the same time on 5 September the chairman of NLD U Aung Shwe went to a western embassy and gave a letter stating that the people were demonstrating daily because they could not stand condition any more, and that if peace and stability was desired for Myanmar, help should be given to open a dialogue between the government and the NLD.

Because of the agitation of the NLD headquarters the NLD members in Pakokku agitated the clergy to demonstrate and through foreign news media announced the names of those whom they falsely accused of hindering the demonstration of the clergy, and agitated mobs to destroy the homes and shops of those whom they had falsely accused. In the same way, intelligence was obtained that NLD party members in other cities contacted and agitated the clergy to demonstrate and invited members of the clergy by phone to attend discussion meetings of the NLD.

If we analyze their deeds, we will see that the NLD has made seditious declarations which are against the government and cause the people to lose respect for the government, has instigated public unrest, has also urged the international community to sanction Myanmar, in synchronicity with the so-called 88 generation students and the expatriate groups. Moreover, they had increased their activities at a time when the seven-step road map has to be implemented with momentum after the completion of the National Convention.

In doing so, the NLD and the so-called 88 generation student groups declared that their movements were peaceful and explained it to the media time and again.

By observing the incidents which occurred in Pakokku city, the real intention of the NLD vividly shows that they have been trying to seize the State power by short cut through inciting unrest like in 1988.

While the government has been implementing to bring about genuine, disciplined democracy by adopting the policy of seven-step road map, it has also laid down the necessary political, economic and social infrastructure for the future democratic state as well as the market oriented economic system.

In doing so, it is quite natural to face with some difficulties and obstacles since it is a transitional period. Although sanctions are being imposed on Myanmar, the government together with the people is trying to overcome these difficulties and obstacles.

Information Committee