BBC-Foreign activists jailed in Bur

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Friday, August 14, 1998 Published at 13:08 GMT 14:08 UK 

Foreign activists jailed in Burma 

Reports from Rangoon say that 18 foreign activists detained by the Burmese
military government on Sunday have each been sentenced to five years in
jail 

They were arrested for handing out leaflets telling Burmese people that the
outside world supported their struggle for democracy. 

It is not yet clear what charges the 18 were convicted of, but they are
believed include that of inciting unrest. 

The activists include six Americans, three Indonesians, three Malaysians,
three Indonesians, two Filipinos and an Australian. 

International pressure 

The BBC South-East Asia Correspondent, Simon Ingram, says that by going
ahead with the trial in spite of international pressure for their release -
notably from the United States - the Burmese authorities are keen to send a
deterrent message to their critics. 

A United States congressman, Chris Smith, has demanded the immediate and
unconditional release of the activists. 

Mr Smith, who is in Bangkok, is hoping to go to Burma, but the Burmese
authorities have not yet granted him a visa. 

"The longer this goes on, the more the government of Burma will come under
international scrutiny," said Mr Smith before the verdict was announced.
who chairs the House International Operations and Human Rights
subcommittee. 
Donna Guest, Amnesty International: "these courts are not independent"
"From a public relations point of view, this is a disaster." 

Earlier this year a British activist, James Mawdsley, was arrested in
similar circumstances and sentenced to five years in jail. He was freed
earlier this month after three months and is now in hospital in the UK. 

Suu Kyi road block 

Meanwhile, the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is spending a third day
at a road block outside Rangoon where she is being prevented from visiting
her supporters. 

The government says an ambulance is on standby at the spot in case Ms Suu
Kyi should fall ill. 

"There are not many ambulances in Yangon, however, and the government hopes
that Ms Suu Kyi and her companions will return home soon so that ambulance
and medical staff may be put back to use helping the truly needy," the
government statement said. 

In a bizarre touch officials added that "in order to provide for their
comfort and welfare, government officials have provided a beach umbrella,
some garden chairs and a selection of journals to help Ms Suu Kyi pass the
time."