BBC-Mass convictions for Burmese st

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Subject: BBC-Mass convictions for Burmese students

Thursday, February 4, 1999 Published at 11:00 GMT
World: Asia-Pacific

Mass convictions for Burmese students

Opposition say some arrests were for supporting Aung San Suu Kyi

By Burmese Affairs Analyst, Larry Jagan
More details are emerging of a mass sentencing by the Burmese military
authorities of student pro-democracy activists.

Diplomatic sources in the capital, Rangoon, say they now know that around
200 students were given lengthy jails terms two weeks ago - one was
sentenced to 52 years in prison.

Burma's military rulers have always feared student unrest more than anything
else. So it's no surprise that the government has meted out harsh sentences
to those students they believe orchestrated last year's street protests in
Rangoon.

The four leading students were given jail sentences of some 150 years
between them. According to Rangoon residents, more than 200 students in all
were given jail sentences mostly ranging from seven to 14 years.

The longest were given to those students accused of having contact with
illegal groups along the Burmese border, namely the ethnic rebel group the
Karen National Union and the exiled Burmese Students' Democratic Union.

There has been no official statement from the Burmese military authorities.

The country's universities have been closed for the past two years after
several weeks of student protests in December 1996. Burma's military rulers
have promised to reopen all universities and colleges later this month.

Diplomats believe the harsh sentences handed out to the student leaders are
meant to dissuade university and college students from getting involved in
political activity after they resume their studies.

Opposition sources told the BBC that some of the students were also been
arrested for their support for the call by Aung San Suu Kyi's National
League for Democracy (NLD) for the parliament elected in 1990 finally to be
convened.

The NLD overwhelmingly won general elections in 1990, but was never allowed
to take power and hundreds of NLD members are themselves in detention.