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Burma Warns Aung San Suu Kyi to Avoid 'Tragic End'


Burma democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi talks to supporters before celebrations for the 96th birthday anniversary of her late father, General Aung San, and Myanmar Children Day at her National League for Democracy party's headquarters, in Rangoon, February
Burma democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi talks to supporters before celebrations for the 96th birthday anniversary of her late father, General Aung San, and Myanmar Children Day at her National League for Democracy party's headquarters, in Rangoon, February

State controlled media in Burma have a chilling warning for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party.

A commentary published Sunday, days after the NLD called for continued international sanctions, warns that that Aung San Suu Kyi and her party will "meet their tragic end" if they "keep going to the wrong way."

The author of the commentary, who uses a pseudonym meaning "Great Victory," accuses the NLD and its Nobel laureate leader of "ignoring the fact that today's Myanmar [Burma] is marching to a new era." It invites them "to cooperate with the people in building a democratic nation."

Burma recently held its first elections in 20 years and chose a civilian president after decades of military rule. But opposition parties were unable to compete effectively and the NLD did not participate at all. The new civilian government is dominated by former generals and backers of the military government.

The NLD issued a statement last week calling for the international community to maintain economic sanctions on Burma, while proposing a dialogue with Western powers on how they can be improved. The statement said the sanctions should not be removed as long as more than 2,000 political prisoners remain in captivity.

The commentary Sunday was the first explicit criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi in state media since she was released from seven years of house arrest in November.

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