Top activist arrested Burma

Burma’s rulers have arrested four prominent political activists, the UK-based rights group Amnesty International claims.

The United Nations has called on the military government to halt its crackdown on the protesters and a UN special envoy was expected in the region today, to help coordinate a response among key Asian governments.

Among those detained yesterday was Htay Kywe, who led some of the first marches several weeks ago before going into hiding to escape a government manhunt, Amnesty said. Others arrested were Aung Htoo and Thin Thin Aye, also known as Mie Mie.

The three were believed to be the last remaining activists at large from the 88 Generation Students’ Group – the country’s boldest dissident group – which was at the forefront of a 1988 democracy uprising and one of the main forces behind the protests that started in August.

A fourth activist, Ko Ko, was also arrested, London-based Amnesty said. All four were believed to have been rounded up in Yangon, the country’s main city.

Troops crushed the more recent pro-democracy demonstrations by shooting into crowds of protesters in Yangon on September 26-27. The regime says 10 people were killed in the clashes and 2,100 were detained, but diplomats and dissidents say that the toll is much higher, and that as many as 6,000 people were taken into custody.

Amnesty said it did not have details of yesterday’s arrests, which could not be independently confirmed.

“Amnesty International believes that these high-profile opposition figures are at grave risk of torture and mistreatment,” said Daniel Alberman, an Amnesty spokesman.

“The eyes of the world are on Myanmar, and the authorities will be judged by how all those who have been detained in recent weeks are treated.”

Allegations have emerged of beatings of detained protesters and deaths under harsh interrogation.

The United Nations has spearheaded an international effort to push the military, which has ruled Burma since 1962, to negotiate with detained National League for Democracy party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and move toward democracy.

The Security Council issued its first statement on Burma on Thursday, condemning the violence against protesters and emphasising “the importance of the early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees.”

The current junta came to power after crushing the 1988 uprising and killing as many as 3,000 people.