Burmese stage rare protest as rising fuel prices bite
Thursday, 23 August 2007
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Hundreds of demonstrators have defied the military junta in Burma to stage a rare protest march, despite the arrests of 13 leading pro-democracy activists.
Witnesses said 300 people staged an hour-long march then were dispersed by gangs of unidentified men, believed to be members of the regime-created Union Solidarity and Development Association (Usda).
There has been a series of midnight raids aimed at confronting the growing protests over rising fuel prices. Among those arrested were some of the country's most important dissidents.
In a rare public announcement, the regime revealed in state-controlled newspapers that the activists had been arrested in Rangoon, now named Yangon, for seeking to cause "civil unrest and undermining the peace and security of the state". The dissidents face up to 20 years in jail.
Campaigners and relatives said among those arrested were Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Mya Aye, Ko Yin Htun and Ko Jimmy, leaders of a 1988 democracy movement that was crushed by the regime. Min Ko Naing, whose name means "Conqueror of Kings" and who was released last year after 15 years in jail, is probably the best-known activist after Aung San Suu Kyi. She remains under house arrest, having spent nearly 17 years imprisoned.
"Military intelligence and government intelligence seized their houses and searched their houses," another dissident, Htay Kywe, who escaped, said from neighbouring Thailand.
Despite the arrests, reports from Burma said campaigners again took to the streets yesterday to protest against the government's recent increase in fuel prices.
Some onlookers applauded the marchers. Other reports said six campaigners were dragged away by members of the Usda, which is often used by the government to intimidate its opponents.
"We are marching to highlight the economic hardship that Burmese people are facing now, which has been exacerbated by the fuel price hike," a protester who identified herself only as Mimi told onlookers. Mark Farmaner, acting director of the Burma Campaign UK, said: "The regime has been trying to persuade the international community that it has a road map to democracy and will reform, but this exposes the raw truth, the regime will tolerate no dissent, not even peaceful protest.
"The United Nations must set a deadline for genuine reform, including the release of all political prisoners. We have had 19 years of regime lies and 19 years of the international community dithering while thousands of Burmese people are arrested, tortured and killed."
In Washington, the US Campaign for Burma said: "Min Ko Naing and the other leaders have all been severely tortured during previous incarcerations and we are gravely concerned for their welfare."
Last month, a group of British MPs visited Burmese refugees in Thailand and demanded that the UK government increase fourfold its aid budget to the country to help those forced from their homes by the regime. John Bercow MP, wrote in The Independent: "Burma suffers a political, human rights and humanitarian situation as grim as any in the world today.
"The country is run by an utterly illegitimate government that spends 50 per cent of its budget on the military and less than 50p per head on the health and education of its own citizens."
