YANGON (AFP) - - Myanmar security forces arrested 15 members of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party Tuesday as they tried to march to her home, a party spokesman said.
About 30 members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) marched from the party's headquarters towards her home, but security forces broke up the protest and made the arrests, witnesses and party members said.
"Altogether, 15 were arrested," NLD spokesman Nyan Win told AFP.
The march began as the NLD held a ceremony to mark the anniversary of its victory in 1990 elections, which was ignored by the ruling military junta.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained for most of the years since, and the regime is believed to be preparing to extend her house arrest.
Security around her home and the NLD headquarters had been tightened since morning, with dozens of uniformed and plainclothes police as well as pro-junta militia standing guard.
Six police trucks had also been stationed near the NLD's dilapidated headquarters in Myanmar's main city of Yangon.
Aung San Suu Kyi's most recent period in detention began on May 30, 2003, when her convoy was ambushed while she toured up-country. The junta says four people were killed in the attack, but the party puts the toll at nearly 100.
After the ambush, Aung San Suu Kyi was initially confined at the notorious Insein prison, but was allowed to return to her home after undergoing a gynaecological operation in September 2003.
International calls for her release have been overshadowed by the high-level diplomacy aimed at convincing Myanmar's junta to allow a full-scale relief effort for victims of Cyclone Nargis, which left 133,000 dead or missing.
About 30 members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) marched from the party's headquarters towards her home, but security forces broke up the protest and made the arrests, witnesses and party members said.
"Altogether, 15 were arrested," NLD spokesman Nyan Win told AFP.
The march began as the NLD held a ceremony to mark the anniversary of its victory in 1990 elections, which was ignored by the ruling military junta.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained for most of the years since, and the regime is believed to be preparing to extend her house arrest.
Security around her home and the NLD headquarters had been tightened since morning, with dozens of uniformed and plainclothes police as well as pro-junta militia standing guard.
Six police trucks had also been stationed near the NLD's dilapidated headquarters in Myanmar's main city of Yangon.
Aung San Suu Kyi's most recent period in detention began on May 30, 2003, when her convoy was ambushed while she toured up-country. The junta says four people were killed in the attack, but the party puts the toll at nearly 100.
After the ambush, Aung San Suu Kyi was initially confined at the notorious Insein prison, but was allowed to return to her home after undergoing a gynaecological operation in September 2003.
International calls for her release have been overshadowed by the high-level diplomacy aimed at convincing Myanmar's junta to allow a full-scale relief effort for victims of Cyclone Nargis, which left 133,000 dead or missing.
No comments:
Post a Comment