Online ‘support Myanmar students’ campaign grows

01 April 2015
Online ‘support Myanmar students’ campaign grows
Danish students show support in the "We support Myanmar students" Facebook campaign. Photo: We support Myanmar Students/Facebook

Over 25,000 people from Myanmar and the around the world have joined a campaign on Facebook calling for the release of dozens of students detained after the Letpadan police crackdown.
As of April 1, 25,540 people had clicked “Like” in support of the dozens of students facing serious charges held in Letpadan. People from Hong Kong, Cambodia, Tunisia, Zambia, Denmark, US, UK and many other countries have put up photos showing support, including participants from the recent World Social Forum, held last week in the Tunisian capital, Tunis.
The United States and many NGOs and individuals have expressed concern over the arrest of and charges against peaceful protesters in Myanmar after a protest over educational reform, and called for their release.
More than 60 demonstrators were brought to a court hearing in the central town of Letpadan on March 25, two weeks after baton-wielding police violently quelled their rally for education reform in scenes that sparked fears of a return to junta-era repression.