"Burma In State Of Anarchy"

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 13

"Burma In State Of Anarchy"

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 830 pan.) LONDON, February 15. Burma, which is due to receive the Duke of Edinburgh on Wednesday, is in a state of anarchy, according to the “Daily Mail.” .General Ne Win, who is expected to greet and entertain the Duke during his visit, had resigned as Prime Minister and during the week-end the leaders of the main parties had argued heatedly at their various headquarters in an attempt to solve the problem.

yVt midnight on Saturday night it had become clear that they would alter the Constitution in the General’s favour so that he could rule them for probably another year.

None of the three main parties wanted to hold office immediately for -they lacked the courage tq enforce in a nation riddled with corruption the laws needed to rescue it from lawlessness and bankruptcy. The Army took over to foil an attempted Communist coup d’etat last September. In the 11 years since Britain left, Burma had gone back to the dark ages of jungle law. Brigands. Communists, and politicians' private armies terrorised the villages and occasionally moved into the few sizeable towns, the newspaper said. General Ne Win, in theory Prime Minister of a constitutional democracy but in fact leader of a military junta regime, had told tbe,„ Legislative „ Assembly on Friday that the- constitution’ must' either be amended so {hat his term of office, could be extended or the politicians could take back the thankless task of getting the country out of its present mess. So far, General Ne Win has failed in the task Of clearing up the country atid preparing It for free and fair elections in- the six months allowed him by the Constitution.

Since his accession, General Ne Win had Imprisoned 371 politicians arid deported 200 to a newly-created island penal settlement for political prisoners.

No man dared wander far without an armed escort for fear of being kidnapped. Rubber companies were being forced to close because their profits are eaten up by ransom money and providing armed guards for workmen. General Ne Win was making headway against the bandits before he started running the Government but now the generals and the colonels were more interested in playing politics, the correspondent said.