Junta Arrests Prominent Activists

Burmese authorities have arrested at least 13 prominent activists of the 88 Students Generation group, including leaders who staged a recent protest against massive fuel-price hikes, the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported on Wednesday.

88 Generation Students group led peaceful protest over sudden unannounced hike of fuel prices [Photo: FDB]

The arrests came two days after the group led more than 400 people in a Rangoon protest march against the fuel prices, which took effect on August 15.

The New Light of Myanmar said that those arrested were accused of “breaking the law guarding against acts undermining the efforts to successfully carry out peaceful transfer of State power and facilitate the proceedings of the National Convention.”

Among those arrested were prominent activists Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Win Aung, Min Zeya, Mya Aye and Kyaw Min Yu. Others included Zeya, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, Arnt Bwe Kyaw, Panneik Tun, Zaw Zaw Min, Thet Zaw and Nyan Lin Tun.

Members of the 88 Generation Students were at the forefront of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising and many served lengthy prison terms and torture.

According to Zaw Naing Htway, brother of Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, the authorities come to their house around 10 p.m. on Tuesday and arrested his brother. They returned with police around 1 a.m and seized a computer, CDs and documents. The authorities gave no reason for the arrest.

Htay Kywe, a leader of the 88 Students Generation group now in hiding, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday morning: “These arrests are political violence by the government, and they won’t help solve the current problems but only lead to more.”

According to the Washington-based activist group, the US Campaign for Burma, five university students and three members of another activist group were also arrested in separate sweeps by the authorities. There was no confirmation of this in the official media.

Security has been stepped up in and around Rangoon, including in the area of the headquarters of the opposition  National League for Democracy, sources said. Security was also reportedly tight in Mandalay.

Tension was reported to be high at schools and universities, the traditional centers of protest, with some parents saying they would not send their children to school on Wednesday in light of the rumors, circulating in Rangoon, that a nationwide protest against the fuel hikes would be staged Wednesday.

The Rangoon-based Myanmar Development Committee has announced it will hold a demonstration against rising commodity prices at Rangoon City Hall on Wednesday.

A key leader of the MDC, Htin Kyaw, has been in hiding. A member of his group was arrested last night but released two hours later, according to sources.