Junta accuses foreigners of destroying country

YANGON – Myanmar’s military rulers yesterday accused foreigners of trying to destroy the country while soldiers reportedly carried on nocturnal raids to snare people suspected of joining last month’s pro-democracy uprising.

Soldiers maintained a visible presence on the streets of Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, where an eerie quiet has returned after last month’s deadly crackdown on the biggest anti-regime rebellion in nearly two decades. With Internet access to the outside world blocked, state-controlled newspapers churned out the government’s version of the country’s crisis and filled pages with propaganda slogans, such as ‘We favour stability.We favour peace’, and ‘We oppose unrest and violence’.Critics from the international community and foreign media were dismissed as ‘liars attempting to destroy the nation’ – one of many bold-faced slogans covering The New Light of Myanmar newspaper’s back page yesterday.While propaganda is routine in Myanmar, the renewed attacks on foreigners was the junta’s way of showing citizens that it was back in control and it was business as usual.A foreign aid worker said his staff had told him that soldiers are continuing to raid homes at night to arrest people who took part in the demonstration.But neighbours are alerting each other if they see troops coming, he said.He had no other details.The worker, who did not wish to be identified for fear of being expelled from the country, said he had heard from various sources that up to 8 000 people may have been rounded up around Yangon.This could not be independently confirmed but dissident groups have said that up to 6 000 people have been arrested since troops put down the uprising on Sept.26 and 27 when they opened fire on crowds.The government says 10 people were killed but dissident groups say up to 200 people died in the crackdown on demonstrators who were largely led by Buddhist monks.State-run newspapers made no mention of Buddhist monks being detained or of soldiers dragging people from their homes in nighttime raids.Instead, coverage was devoted to pro-government rallies that have been held in stadiums around the country in recent days, such as one in the southeastern town of Myiek that New Light of Myanmar said was attended by 36 000 people.Critics say the rallies are shams, filled with people ordered to attend by authorities.Meanwhile, a UN Development Programme employee, Myint Nwe Moe, and her husband, brother-in-law and driver were freed yesterday, a day after being arrested, said Charles Petrie, the UN humanitarian chief in Myanmar.He did not give details.Despite its appearance of control, the junta’s grip may weaken over time, an analyst said.Nampa-APWith Internet access to the outside world blocked, state-controlled newspapers churned out the government’s version of the country’s crisis and filled pages with propaganda slogans, such as ‘We favour stability.We favour peace’, and ‘We oppose unrest and violence’.Critics from the international community and foreign media were dismissed as ‘liars attempting to destroy the nation’ – one of many bold-faced slogans covering The New Light of Myanmar newspaper’s back page yesterday.While propaganda is routine in Myanmar, the renewed attacks on foreigners was the junta’s way of showing citizens that it was back in control and it was business as usual.A foreign aid worker said his staff had told him that soldiers are continuing to raid homes at night to arrest people who took part in the demonstration.But neighbours are alerting each other if they see troops coming, he said.He had no other details.The worker, who did not wish to be identified for fear of being expelled from the country, said he had heard from various sources that up to 8 000 people may have been rounded up around Yangon.This could not be independently confirmed but dissident groups have said that up to 6 000 people have been arrested since troops put down the uprising on Sept.26 and 27 when they opened fire on crowds.The government says 10 people were killed but dissident groups say up to 200 people died in the crackdown on demonstrators who were largely led by Buddhist monks.State-run newspapers made no mention of Buddhist monks being detained or of soldiers dragging people from their homes in nighttime raids.Instead, coverage was devoted to pro-government rallies that have been held in stadiums around the country in recent days, such as one in the southeastern town of Myiek that New Light of Myanmar said was attended by 36 000 people.Critics say the rallies are shams, filled with people ordered to attend by authorities.Meanwhile, a UN Development Programme employee, Myint Nwe Moe, and her husband, brother-in-law and driver were freed yesterday, a day after being arrested, said Charles Petrie, the UN humanitarian chief in Myanmar.He did not give details.Despite its appearance of control, the junta’s grip may weaken over time, an analyst said.Nampa-AP