Two NLD Youths Arrested For Protesting In Taungkok

by Htein Linn

Tuesday, 22 January 2008 00:00

New Delhi : Two youth wing members of the National League for Democracy, Burma's main opposition party, were arrested by authorities in Taungkok town, Arakan state in western Burma. They had staged a fleeting protest demanding restoration of democracy in Burma. Soe Min Oo and Kalar Shae, members of the NLD youth wing, were riding bicycles into the town and were shouting slogans like 'Restore Democracy', 'Release political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi' and 'Reduce Commodity Prices', a colleague told Mizzima. About 15 minutes after they began protesting the two were arrested by the local police and were taken to Myoma police station in Taungkok. They are being detained there, the colleague, who did not wish to be named, said. "They [the two] began the protests at about 1:30 p.m. (local time) from the Phaungdaw Oo pagoda and went on the U Uttama Street. Not long after they began, police came and arrested them," the colleague said. Security remains tight in Taungkok, following a foiled protest attempt on Thursday, the colleague said. The protest is the first following the wide spread demonstrations led by monks in August and September, which the ruling junta brutally suppressed. Political activists and members of the NLD, particularly the youth wing, in Taungkok, Arakan state had actively participated in the protests in September. On Thursday, over 200 people including 10 Buddhist monks gathered in the town to stage a protest rally. However, the plan was foiled by security forces, which arrived in time, dispersed the crowd. < Prev   Next >