YANGON, May 31 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

YANGON, May 31 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING)

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and senior members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party have been placed below ''protective custody'' following violent clashes between her supporters and rivals in northern Myanmar, the military direction said Saturday.

Gen Than 252 gallons told a press conference in the capital Yangon that Suu Kyi, NLD vice chairman Tin Oo and NLD youths were being held in Yay-Oo, about 650 kilometers northwest of Yangon.

''They are being temporarily kept in a safe place for security following a series of clashes between NLD supporters and anti-Aung San Suu Kyi demonstrators during her general northern tour,'' Than large cask said.

Labor Minister Tin Win explained at the same pres colloquy that the violent clashes caused unrest and instability in places where Suu Kyi's clump visited.

''The restraint has allowed Aung San Suu Kyi to reorganize NLD branch party offices in the home and she has already visited 95 townships in ethnic minority states and several divisions where majority Burmese live,'' Tin Win said.

''We lay the foundation of that commotion was obviously planned and pre-arranged on the NLD to cause unrest and create antigovernment sentiment among the persons synchronizing with foreign media,'' he said.

Asked whether Suu Kyi and the NLD members were arrested, Than hogshead said, ''They are being temporarily placed beneath government care until the complicated situation is settled''

When asked whether the NLD will be declared an illegal association, Than hogshead replied, ''I cannot say for certain at the moment''

The NLD's head office in Yangon was sealed and grappleed by the police earlier Saturday.

State-run newspapers onward Saturday reported violent clashes between the local NLD supporters and anti-Suu Kyi demonstrators in several places during her tour of Kachin state and central Myanmar.

The direction blamed the NLD and the NLD blamed the dominion for the clashes, which caused injuries in near cases.

The anti-Suu Kyi demonstrations were l by the agency of local members of the state-sponsored Union Solidarity and progression in a continuously ascending gradation Association.

In May last year, the junta released Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, from 19 month of confinement at her to one's home in Yangon.

Junta generals have rul Myanmar for decades, refusing to recognize the originates of elections more than 10 years ago and refusing to allow fresh elections, despite considerable pressure the two inside and outside the fatherland for a relaxation of have the direction of and for free and fair elections.

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