ABSDF's update on the student demon

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Subject: ABSDF's update on the student demonstration in Burma



ABSDF's update on the student demonstration in Burma
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Students loaded with five TE trucks and one van drove in front of
the American Embassy on Merchant Street around 3:00am on December
3, 1996. They organised a sit-in protest until 6:00 am when some
dispersed. The rest of the demonstrators marched around the
downtown area and later they went to Shwe Dagon pagoda. About 100
students were arrested when they arrived at the Shwe Dagon pagoda
at dawn, according to our reliable source from inside Burma. They
all were taken to an unknown place and nobody has been released
yet.

On the same morning, five NLD (youth wing) members from
Kyimyindaing, Sanchaung and Lanmadaw were arrested after
returning from the residence of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. They went
to her house to report on the student demonstration and they all
were arrested immediately as soon as they left the house. One was
later released, but the remaining four are being detained. They
are Ma Tin Kyi Aung, Ko Hla Tin, Ko Kyi Soe and Ko Zaw Win.

In the last two days, students demonstrators were well
disciplined and got enormous support from the local people. The
local people nearby the universities donated water, food and
other supplies to the student demonstrators while they were
holding their sit-in protest. People cheered and applauded the
students while they were marching down the streets. There was an
ideological difference between two groups of students - one group
called for non-political demands, and the other for political
change. However, both groups have decided to continue their
demonstration, calling for non-political demands as well as
political change.


ABSDF