By Juliana Chan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
In breaking a promise to the United Nations, Myanmar’s military government has arrested almost 100 dissidents, Amnesty International reports.
The human rights group said the junta had arrested 96 people since November. Facing increased international pressure, the military government met with United Nations’ envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, in November and agreed that it would hold no more activists following its deadly crackdown on protests in Yangon in September 2007.
September’s protests led by Buddhist monks, turned into the biggest anti-government demonstration since 1988. According to the United Nations, at least 31 people were killed and 74 are missing.
Catherine Baber, director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific program, said that four months since the violent suppression on peaceful demonstrators, rather than stopping unlawful arrests, the government has actually accelerated them. She said that instead of bowing to demands for moderation from the international community, the junta’s priority is to silence its citizens.
The new arrests target people who attempt to send evidence of the junta’s crackdown to the international community. Among those arrested are members of democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, a Buddhist monk, and a labor activist.
Amnesty International said that at least 700 people arrested in connection with the September protests remain behind bars, while Myanmar is still holding 1,150 political prisoners from before the demonstrations.
Furthermore, Myanmar’s military government has postponed an invitation to United Nations envoy, Mr. Gambari. Mr. Gambari has visited Myanmar twice and was promised a third visit soon, in a effort of cooperation with the United Nations. The junta now says it will not be convenient for Mr. Gambari to visit until April.
For more information, please see:
BBC News – Burma dissident arrests ‘ongoing’ – 25 January 2008
The New York Times – Rights Group Accuses Myanmar of Holding More Dissidents – 27 January 2008
AFP – Myanmar arrests 96 dissidents since November: Amnesty – 26 January 2008
