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Myanmar releases 27 detained at education protest

Some 100 remain in custody following violent police crackdown on demonstration against controversial education law
Myanmar releases 27 detained at education protest

Student protesters try to speak to their family members from a prison vehicle as they are transported to a court in Letpadan on Wednesday (AFP Photo/Ye Aung Thu)

 

Published: March 13, 2015 07:20 AM GMT
Updated: April 24, 2015 04:22 PM GMT

Authorities in Myanmar on Thursday freed 10 monks and 17 students from among 127 people detained during a violent police crackdown on a demonstration against a controversial education law, though the government has vowed “action will be taken” against protest organizers.

According to the official Global New Light of Myanmar, the 10 monks were allowed to return to their monasteries after vowing to stay away from party politics, social affairs and student protests in the future, and to abide by the instructions of the State Sangha, or monastic community.

The report said police were in the process of interrogating others detained at Tuesday’s crackdown in Bago region’s Letpadan township, to determine who are “real students” enrolled at schools in the country and hand them over to their parents so that they may continue their studies.

“However, action will be taken against those who committed criminal acts, instigated instability and led the protests behind the scene,” it said.

The ten freed monks — from Chauk, Myinchan, Natogyi, Taungtha, Pakokku and Yangon — held a press conference Thursday, during which they released a statement promising to refrain from taking part in similar demonstrations in the future, but calling on the government to hold police responsible for using excessive force against protesters.

“The students told police that they submit to arrest, and not to use violence against them,” Arlawka, one of the freed monks, told reporters.

“But despite their pleas, the police beat the students brutally, and the act has ruined their reputation.”

Around 200 people had been demonstrating against Myanmar’s National Education Law, which they say will break up student unions and allow the government to take decisions on issues such as curriculum out of the hands of universities, in a protest march to the commercial capital Yangon.

Students left the central city of Mandalay more than a month ago, but authorities set up a blockade in Letpadan to prevent them from reaching their destination some 140 kilometers to the south, where protests in 1988 touched off a pro-democracy movement in then junta-ruled Myanmar.

Activists have said tensions boiled over Tuesday after authorities appeared to renege on an earlier agreement to allow them to continue their march, and when students tried to break through a barricade, police engaged them with truncheons, sending scores to the hospital and detaining 127.

Students released

Ten people are still receiving medical treatment in Tharyarwaddy Prison, where the detainees are being held, while as of late Wednesday about 60 of those held have been charged with participation in an unlawful assembly, joining or continuing an unlawful assembly, rioting, harming a public servant and incitement — some of which carry punishments of up to three years in prison.

Aung Min Khant of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), who was among those students freed on Thursday, told RFA’s Myanmar Service that authorities agreed to drop all charges against them following their release.

“They said they released us to take our exams and they dismissed our charges,” he said.

“We asked them whether they would add these charges if we protest again in the future, as we all intend to continue our protests until we get what we want. They said they would not add this to any future charges.”

Widespread condemnation

Politicians and democracy activists have slammed Tuesday’s crackdown, calling it a step backward for Myanmar as it transitions from a military dictatorship to a democracy under President Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government and a worrying sign ahead of general elections slated for later this year.

The incident also drew condemnation from the international community Tuesday, with the US urging the government to respect the right to assembly in the country and the European Union, which has been training Myanmar’s police force in crowd management, expressing concerns.

On Thursday, some 500 politicians, activists, artists, students and writers gathered at the Free Funeral Services Society (FFSS) office in Yangon to demand the immediate release of those still in detention.

Nyo Nyo Thin of the Network for National Education Reform (NNER) organization — consisting of educational, political and religious groups — said the students had only requested to be allowed to march a mere 400 yards during Tuesday’s protest, but police refused.

“They had already marched though many cities from Mandalay and only asked to continue marching 300-400 yards more with their flags and headbands,” he said. “Their request was very fair, but the police wouldn’t grant them even this small allowance and instead carried out a brutal crackdown on the students. I would like to urge the government to repay its debt [for this act] with an apology to the people and the students.”

Min Ko Naing of the 88 Generation democracy movement said the crackdown demonstrated a wider loss of the public’s right to protest and its general security.

“After seeing this, we have to accept that we can’t trust or believe the government, even though its members have said they are working toward a democratic, modern and developed country,” he said.

Parliamentary role

Also on Thursday, speaker of the Upper House of Parliament Khin Aung Myint told reporters that lawmakers have the responsibility to end the country’s education crisis, as the legislature convenes to discuss reforms to the contentious law.

“We want to solve this problem through the parliament and we also want to explain the process to the students,” he said, ahead of plans by student groups to attend the ongoing education reform hearing on March 16.

“Parliament has to work on cases in a broad manner. When the students come to parliament, we will understand what they want. This problem will be solved together with the students after we hear from them.”

Last week representatives from more than 20 civil society organizations said they would boycott the hearing, which began on March 5, because of the blockade in Letpadan and an earlier crackdown on supporters in Yangon.

But on Wednesday some groups said they had received another invitation from parliament to attend the hearing and would use the opportunity to press for the release of the students detained in the Letpadang crackdown.

Reported by Myo Thant Khine, San Maw Aung, Kyaw Lwin Oo, Set Paing Toe and Kyaw Zawe Win for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.

Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia ©2015

Original story: Myanmar Frees 17 Detained in Education Protest Crackdown

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