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AFP : Myanmar junta detains 18 fore



Myanmar junta detains 18 foreigners for "attempting to incite unrest"
Sun 09 Aug 98 - 13:00 GMT 

YANGON, Aug 9 (AFP) - Myanmar's junta Sunday said it had detained 18
foreigners for allegedly attempting to incite unrest amid escalating
political unrest.

The detainees included six US nationals, three Thais, three Malaysians,
three Indonesians, two Filipinos and one Australian, a junta spokesman said
in a statement. They were allegedly handing out pamphlets which promoted
human rights and democracy.

"Foreigners who were distributing the pamphlets in downtown Yangon were
reported to the police by citizens and taken to the police stations for
questioning and they are being detained while the investigation continues,"
he added.

The foreigners were "apprehended attempting to incite unrest in Yangon."

"Various pamphlets and related materials aimed at inciting public unrest
were found in their hotel rooms," the spokesman said.

The group arrived in Yangon from Bangkok together Friday and was due to
depart Sunday, he added, saying they were travelling on tourist visas.

"Despite these efforts for agitation, conditions in Yangon, Mandalay, and
other parts of the country are peaceful and calm."

Diplomats from the embassies of several of the detainees were unaware they
were being held. The Myanmar authorities were not obliged to inform them if
one of their nationals had been detained until after 24 hours, one said.

The group earlier told journalists and others of its plans, including the
times they would appear at various sites around Yangon Sunday to hand out
the pamphlets.

Foreign sources said the group failed to appear at the sites as scheduled
and there was no independent confirmation they had distributed any
pamphlets.

Witnesses said security at Yangon's famed Shwedagon pagoda, one of the
sites listed by the group, was dramtically increased, with some 50 police,
intelligence agents deployed and taking video recordings of visitors.

Junta officials could not immediately be reached for comment.