Human Right Watch Gravely Concerned

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Human Rights Watch gravely concerned about Myanmar arrests
Tue 08 Sep 98 - 18:07 GMT
WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (AFP) - Human Rights Watch voiced grave concern Tuesday at
the
arrest of 220 dissidents in Myanmar in an apparent bid by the junta to prevent
the opposition
from convening a parliament.
"The latest round of arrests heralds a major new clampdown by the ruling State
Peace and
Development Council," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
"Human Rights Watch is gravely concerned about the reported arrests" in
Myanmar of
opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) members, including 60 elected
members of
parliament, it said.
The New York-based group urged foreign ministers from Japan, Europe, and
Southeast Asia,
set to meet in New York September 23-24, to condemn the arrests.
It also called on those governments to urge "all appropriate measures to allow
all citizens to
participate freely in the political process ... and to permit them to
participate in a meaningful
process of national reconciliation."
In the Myanmar capital, Yangon, NLD members said the military government had
arrested 110
more of its members, bringing the total to 220.
Observers in Yangon said the arrests appeared to constitute a pre-emptive
strike after the
NLD's announcement that it intends to convene the parliament elected in 1990
by the end of
this month.
The ruling junta has never honored the outcome of those elections.