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Burma's Military Leader Appeals for Unity VOA News 12 Feb 2002 14:02 UTC 
The leader of Burma's military government has used his annual "Union Day" message to appeal for unity and to urge people to ward off what he calls threats to the country's stability.
General Than Shwe said that all Burmese should oppose what he called "destructionists" from inside and outside the nation who are impeding the stability and development of Burma. He did not elaborate.
Union Day is a national holiday in Burma, commemorating the signing of a 1947 agreement among Burma's main ethnic groups that paved the way for independence from Britain.
The opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) also marked the occasion by calling for national reconciliation.
NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest, but is expected to be visited in the next few days by the United Nations human rights envoy who is currently in Burma. The envoy, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, met Monday with top officials of the military government to discuss civil and political rights.
The National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in Burma's 1990 elections, but the military refused to recognize the results and never agreed to turn over power.
The government and the opposition began closed door talks 16 months ago, but there have been no breakthroughs.
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