MIZZIMA: Section 144 imposed in Ind

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Subject: MIZZIMA: Section 144 imposed in Indo-Burma border town

Section 144 imposed in Indo-Burma border town

By Our Reporter
Imphal, August 8, 1999

Section 144 was imposed in Moreh, Indian border town with Burma, for
forty-eight hours, yesterday to prevent any demonstration or protest
rally against the Burmese military regime. Section 144, which restricts
gathering of more than four persons, was imposed at 5 p.m. on August 7
by the Moreh administration to prevent any ?untoward incidents? in the
Indian border town.

According to local sources, a protest march was, in fact, planned by the
Indian and Burmese activists under the banner of ?Solidarity Committee
for Burma Democracy?, to be held in Moreh on August 8 to commemorate the
11th Anniversary of people?s uprising in Burma. The peace march was to
be joined by more than two hundred Indian activists from Imphal, capital
of Manipur State. The ?Solidarity Committee for Burma Democracy? was
formed last year to extend support to the democratic movement in Burma
and it is composed of Indian political parties and Burma democracy
groups based in Manipur State.

It was learnt that Moreh police had warned the Burma democracy activists
last week to leave from Moreh and not to organize any anti-Burmese
government programmes in the border town on 8th August which is an
important day for democratic forces of Burma.

On the other side of the border, the Burmese administration of Tamu
Township has warned the Burmese people not to cross the border to India
and Section 144 has been similarly promulgated in Tamu.

However, Burma pro-democracy activists were able to organize a meeting
at Churachandpur, which is about 60 kilometers away from Indo-Burma
border, in Manipur State of India in the afternoon today. India-based
All Burma Students League (ABSL) and Zomi Re-unification Organization
(ZRO), both of which are fighting against the military junta in Burma,
jointly organized the meeting.

About a hundred Burmese, Indians and Zomis participated in the meeting,
which lasted for nearly three hours. The participants urged the ruling
military regime in Burma to unconditionally release all the political
prisoners in Burma and to enter into a meaningful dialogue with the
National League for Democracy led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

MIZZIMA News Group