"So far no one has arrived to help us," an opposition figure said.

But in the last month, the three main opposition figures have been excluded from running.

Several opposition figures, however, said this week that they felt victory was possible.

Several opposition figures received death threats early in the week, they said.

But opposition figures said about 4,000 of the mill's 32,000 workers were out.

Though the Government does not allow political parties, opposition figures have been allowed to run for office as individuals.

The case was seen as an effort to silence an outspoken opposition figure.

All three had been prominent opposition figures in the period before November 1989.

In the months after the election, arrests of opposition figures continued.

Press reports said 700 opposition figures had been placed under house arrest across the country.