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Statement on illegal detention of a



Subject: Statement on illegal detention of a member of All Burma Students

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New Delhi, July 31, 1999

Statement on illegal detention of a member of All Burma Students League
by
Police in Moreh, Manipur State of India

Background

Ko Nyo, who is a member of All Burma Students League (ABSL) and also
India-based stringer for Radio Free Asia (Burmese Language Service) was
arrested by local police in Moreh, Manipur State of India at 6.30 p.m.
on
July 29, 1999. Mr. Th. Daniesh Singh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer
(SDPO)
in Moreh led the police team in arresting Ko Nyo.

Ko Nyo was detained in the bungalow of SDPO, Moreh and released from
police
detention at 3.30 p.m. on July 30 but he was asked not to leave Moreh
till
any further notice.

He was finally released and allowed to leave Moreh in the morning of
July 31
due to intervention of some political leaders in Manipur State.

The police informed Ko Nyo that they had to arrest him because of the
directive from central Government. The Joint Secretary (North East) of
the
Government of India took the decision to arrest Ko Nyo, based on the
complaint of the Burmese government that Ko Nyo has been sending
?malicious
information? against the government of Burma to the Radio Free Asia. But
the
police did not register any cases against him during or after detention.

We are disappointed

We would like to express our disappointment with the action of the
Government of India on arresting and detaining a Burmese activist, just
because of the complaint from the Government of Burma. It is
internationally
accepted that the ruling military regime in Burma is committing human
rights
violations against the people of Burma particularly in the border areas
of
the country.



Since 1993, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has been every
year
condemning against the human rights violations of the military regime in

Burma. Ko Nyo, as a reporter for Radio Free Asia (Burmese Language
Service)
has been reporting news and information on human rights violations of
the

military government and also issues to educate the people of Burma. As
far
as we have observed, his reporting is balanced, reliable and diligent.

Similar Incidents

We also would like to point out that the Home Ministry of the Government
of
India has been recently trying to restrict the activities of the Burmese


democracy activists in India.

On September 4, 1998, sixty-four Burmese activists were arrested while
they
were staging demonstration against the visit of the Burmese Health
Minister
to India in front of Bigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The Burmese were
charged
with violating Section 144 and later released on bail. Again on February
26,
1999, the police arrested about 50 Burmese while they were demonstrating

against the military rule in Burma at the Teen Murti in New Delhi. They
were
later released on bail.

Another incident is that the Home Ministry cancelled the venue of a
seminar
on Burma in December 1998 when the Burmese tried to organize the seminar
on
Constitution of Burma. The venue was arranged in the Constitution Club
in
New Delhi but the director of the Constitution Club cancelled the venue
at
last minute apparently due to the directive from Home Ministry.

Moreover, the Delhi police and intelligence personnel have been closely
monitoring the movements of the Burmese pro-democracy activists in
Delhi.
Recently, Burmese refugees in New Delhi were asked to register with the
Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in New Delhi. There are
about
500 Burmese refugees living in Delhi and United Nations High
Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) in India recognizes most of them as refugees.




Our Request

We would like to request the Government of India not to take any
stand/policy against the Burmese pro-democracy activists in India who
are
peacefully working for the restoration of democracy and human rights in
Burma. In fact, as the world?s largest democracy, India has moral duty
to
promote democracy in other parts of the world including its neighboring
country Burma.

We understand that for some factors, India is willing to maintain normal

relationship with whatever government is in power in Burma. However, it
is
India?s own interest that India has a peaceful, stable and democratic
neighbour in its eastern front. Burma under the present military
government
can never be a good neighbour for India in long term. Only a democratic
government elected by the people of the country can assure the
neighbourhood
that India wants to have.

Therefore, we would like to urge the Home Ministry of India to stop
?hostile? attitude towards the Burmese pro-democracy activists in India.
We
also would like to request Indian Members of Parliament, political
leaders,
intellectuals, students, workers and the people of India to urge the
Government of India to support democracy movement in Burma.


Sincerely,

Kyaw Than
Vice-President
All Burma Students League