Burma Coup Causes

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 13

Burma Coup Causes

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

RANGOON, March 8. The Vice-Chief of Staff of the Burmese Army (Brigadier Aung Gyi) told reporters today that a fear that the demand for federalism tn Burma would split the country into small, mutually hostile states was the main reason for the coup last week in which the Army seized control. Political dissatisfaction throughout Burma was increasing to unmanageable proportions and economic conditions were deteriorating daily. These factors had made the military junta act quickly. He said that the junta was not out to seize power for personal reasons. This had been proved two years ago, when the reins of government had been handed back to civilians.

Brigadier Aung Gyi said that the small states into which Burma could have been split would have been easy prey for others. He cited Laos, South Vietnam and Cambodia where, he said, the

personal ambitions of factional leaders had brought those countries to a serious plight. In Kayah State, bordering Thailand, the population was less than 87.000. yet the leaders wanted freedom from central control to establish an opium trade and legalised gambling, which the central authorities had been trying to stamp out. On the Revolutionary Council’s economic plans, Brigadier Aung Gyi said they would scrap all unrealistic projects and concentrate on agriculture and small-scale industries, especially fertiliser and chemical plants, which were urgently needed for Burmese agriculture. The council would rewrite the Constitution after consultation with Burmese political elements. Nobody would be suppressed, he said. In fact, the Revolutionary Council was encouraging political parties to maintain their status quo and was keeping in contact with them.