Taungup:  Family members of Ma Ni Ni May Myint, a student in Taungup, are anxious about her well being since she was arrested by the military authorities during a protest that was staged to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 8-8-88 uprisings in Burma, said a relative.

 "We are really worried about her arrest because she is young and she has never been involved in such an incident before," he said.

Ma Ni Ni May Myint (20) was arrested by police in Taungup with 47 other youths during a protest on the 20th anniversary of the 8-8-88 nationwide uprising.

Soon after their arrest, authorities sent the youths to the district town Thandwe in southern Arakan for interrogation.

After interrogations the authorities released 43 of the youths. Five, including Ma Ni Ni May Myint, who were leading the protest in Taungup, remain in detention.

"We have no contact with her since she was arrested. The authorities have not yet informed us of her arrest. So we do not know what has happened to her," the relative said.

According to a source, the authorities detained Ma Ni Ni May Myint at Thandwe prison along with Ko Moe Nay Soe and Ko Than Lwin, as well as two more unidentified youths from Net Maw Village, who were reported to have been leading the protest.

Family members want to know Ma Ni Ni May Myint's whereabouts and condition after her arrest, but they are unable to ask the higher authorities.

"It is very difficult asking the authorities about her arrest because the authorities could misconstrue our intent and think that we urged her to stage the demonstration. So we dare not ask about her arrest," the relative said.

The arrest of Ma Ni Ni Myint  and four other students took place five days ago, but family members are yet to receive any kind of information about them. The families of all the arrested youths are concerned about their well being in Thandwe prison.