Travel restriction on Pegu Opposition

Travel restriction on Pegu Opposition
by -
Phanida
Local Burmese military junta authorities have banned leaders of the Opposition National League for Democracy party from travelling outside their respective townships ...

Chaing Mai: Local Burmese military junta authorities have banned leaders of the Opposition National League for Democracy party from travelling outside their respective townships.

Tin Shwe, a Member of Parliament of the NLD and Thein Lwin the Deputy Chairman of the party's Thanutpin Township branch have been barred from travelling outside the towns they live in for the month of September.

"Township authorities told MP Tin Shwe not to travel from August 31. The ban comes from the election commission. They came to Bago and we met without any intention. They used to come here for shopping," said a member of the NLD who requested anonymity apprehensive of questioning by the authorities.

This prohibitive decree came just after a section of police personnel in Pegu division, a neighbouring division of former capital Rangoon, were charged with ignorance of the opposition member's travels. Two policemen were detained for two months and some were transferred.

Last year September, there were demonstrations led by monks demanding a dialogue between the regime and the Opposition parties. The junta faced the first such uprising after nearly two decades and had the army crack down on protesters.

Although the regime claimed that only nine people had been killed the United Nations Human Rights Council said that at least 31 had died.

Meanwhile, authorities warned supporters of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a bid to avert another movement akin to last September.

The warnings to Myint Myint Aye and Thein Lwin, the secretary and the chairman of Maithtilar Township NLD were to prevent a fresh people's outburst. The junta had banned food offering ceremony to monks on Aung San Su Kyi's birthday and during the anniversary of the 8888 uprising and had cautioned about interviews to the foreign media.