Burma Leader Ne Win Quits, Calls for Vote

RANGOON, Burma — Ne Win, the Burmese strongman who was blamed for leading his country into isolation and economic ruin during 26 years of authoritarian rule, resigned Saturday as chairman of the nation’s only political party and opened the way for a possible return to multiparty democracy.

Speaking to a special session of the ruling Burma Socialist Program Party, the 77-year-old leader cited bloody anti-government rioting in March and June as a major reason for his resignation and announced a referendum on one-party rule.

Five veteran party leaders, including the nation’s president and vice president--less important positions than the party chairmanship--also resigned.

“Since I am indirectly responsible for the March and June affairs and because of my advanced age, I am resigning from both the party chairmanship and also as a member,” Ne Win told 1,000 delegates in remarks broadcast on state radio and television.

Admits Public Trust Lost

“Bloodshed in March and June showed the lack of trust and confidence in the government and the party that guides it,” Ne Win said. “To find out whether the majority or the minority are behind (the demonstrators), a referendum must be held so the people can choose between the existing one-party system or a multiparty system.”

He said the referendum will be held no later than the end of September, and until then the current government will continue its functions.

If a multiparty system is chosen, Ne Win said, general elections must be held. Even if voters choose to retain a one-party state, there should be “necessary modifications,” he said.

Scrapping the one-party system would require a change in the constitution, which stipulates that the Burma Socialist Program Party is the sole political force.

“Whatever the results of the referendum, and whatever the new government, I will completely retire from politics,” Ne Win said.

Ne Win, who resigned from the Burmese presidency in 1981, had retained the far more important party post. He was the most powerful figure in Burma.

The party congress was expected to choose a new chairman Monday. Maung Maung Kha, the prime minister since 1977, was seen as a likely candidate.

The five leaders who resigned with Ne Win were San Yu, party vice chairman and president of Burma; Aye Ko, party secretary general and Burmese vice president; Sein Lwin, party general secretary and secretary of the Council of State; Kyaw Htin, party central executive committee member, deputy prime minister and defense minister, and Tun Tin, central executive committee member, deputy prime minister and finance minister.

They are to retain their government positions until a new government is formed.

Sein Lwin, who is responsible for riot police and internal security, has been a key target of demonstrators in the last few months. He is widely seen as being behind the suppression of all opposition since a 1962 military takeover.

Since coming to power in that coup, Ne Win had led Burma into isolation from the world community. Burma’s economy deteriorated, and political and personal freedoms were curtailed as the tall, uncompromising nationalist shielded his 38 million people from what he considered foreign economic subversion by keeping the country out of the mainstream of the world economy.

Starved of foreign investment and expertise, once-wealthy Burma slid from one economic crisis to another. Last year, it asked the United Nations for least-developed-country status.

Living standards fell, and student-led street protests erupted this year in clashes across the country that even the normally secretive Burmese media said killed more than 50 people.

Diplomats in Bangkok, Thailand, put the dead at more than 200 after protesters, often defying curfews, rampaged through the capital of Rangoon, Prome, Moulmein and other cities, clashing with riot police. Western diplomats in Rangoon and other Western observers said the outbursts after years of passivity reflected intense disillusionment with the government.

The convening of the current three-day party congress was announced July 7, two weeks after thousands of students and other demonstrators battled riot police in the streets of the capital, leaving at least nine people dead.

Regarded as potentially the richest nation in resources in Southeast Asia, Burma has a per-capita income of less than $200 and ranks among the world’s 10 poorest countries.

Although the government officially controls much of the economy, most Burmese rely on black market goods smuggled in from Thailand, China and Malaysia.

Most foreign analysts and many Burmese blame Ne Win’s rigid, so-called Burmese way to socialism for these failures. The “way” is an amalgam, forged during Ne Win’s early years in power, of a centralized economy, one-party, military-backed rule and Buddhism.

Born Shu Maung on May 14, 1911, in the central Burmese town of Paungbe, he took the name Ne Win after entering revolutionary politics in what was then a British colony.

Ne Win joined the anti-British movement and became one of Burma’s “Thirty Comrades,” who traveled secretly to Japan for military training in the early days of World War II.

Returning to Burma, Ne Win and his comrades first fought alongside the Japanese against the British, but then turned against their teachers after realizing that Japan would also colonize rather than liberate Burma.

Ne Win rose quickly in the military and became chief of staff of the Burmese armed forces in 1949, the year after Burma gained independence.

He came to the political forefront in 1958 when the military pushed aside a divided government headed by Prime Minister U Nu and established a caretaker government.

Promised elections were held in 1960. U Nu, soon to become Ne Win’s archrival, regained the leadership, but Ne Win staged the coup in 1962, jailed U Nu and vowed to lead his country on a neutralist, egalitarian and moralistic road to socialism. Ne Win became president under a 1974 constitution.

Although he retired from the military in 1972, Ne Win maintained effective control of the capable, well-organized armed forces, which served as his chief instrument of control.

When anti-government riots erupted from time to time, Ne Win moved ruthlessly to suppress them.