Chiang Mai – Five youths from Taungup town of Burma's western Arakan State, who were arrested for marching on Friday to mark the 20th anniversary of the popular 8888 popular uprising, are reportedly still in custody.
Burma's military junta on Friday arrested 48 youths for marching the streets in Taungup town in Arakan state, but release 43 of them in the evening, local sources said.
"A girl is in the group who are still under detention. Her family has not yet been informed of her arrest and her whereabouts. Her family is concern about her security," Thein Hlaing, the Joint-Secretary of the local National League for Democracy (NLD) party said.
Thein Hlaing said the youths were interrogated questions such as who led the protest march, who ordered them and were asked to fill up a bio-data form and sign a pledge that states that they have understood that they can be prosecuted for a criminal case if they did it again next time.
He added that the authorities had arrested the youths as to threaten them, so that they dare not continue next time. Though the junta proclaims of moving in the direction of democratic reforms, they don't want to recognize the 8888 uprising.
"So they have come down heavily on every anti-government movement. Then they are removing all hurdles which will impair the 2010 general elections," Thein Hlaing said.
Sources said, the junta has continued detaining the Arakan State NLD Secretary Khin Hla, who led the 2007 saffron revolution in Arakan State, at Buthidaung prison along with criminals, while detaining the NLD Treasurer Min Aung in Kale prison of Sagaing division.
The two NLD leaders of Arakan state were arrested on February 28, 2008 and charged under various sections. The junta sentenced Khin Hla and Min Aung to four and two years in prison respectively.
In a separate incident, Myint Aye, a member of 'Human Rights Defenders and Promoters' (HRDP), was arrested by authorities on the day after the departure of UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana.
Nearly a dozen police personnel including Kyimyindine Township police force chief, Pol Maj. Kyaw Zin and local Peace and Development Council Chairman on August 8 evening from his resident. His house was searched thoroughly for about two and-a-half hours and he was taken away for interrogation, sources said.
"About 12 personnel from the Special Branch of the police searched his home thoroughly at 4 p.m. on August 8. They seized some stuff from his home. Then U Myint Aye was taken away by the police in two cars," Maung Maung Lay, member of HRDP said.
Myint Aye was arrested and taken away from his father-in-law's home at No. 28, 5th Floor, Ingabu Street, Sanchaung Township at about 7 p.m. after his home was raided. A black hooded was reportedly put on his head while he was taken away.
"We are only promoting and defending human rights in Burma not working for political power. I think the authorities want to weaken our human right awareness and education campaign. This way they can control the human right movement in Burma," Maung Maung Lay of HRDP said.
Myint Aye was hit on his head by an unknown attacker on March 27 this year and received serious injuries. His current whereabouts is till unknown.
