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Authorities seal off universities (
Subject: Authorities seal off universities (The Asian Age, 9/12/96.)
Authorities seal off universities
The Asian Age, 9/12/96.
Rangoon, Dec. 8: Burma's military authorities on Sunday kept
some roads closed around two universities in northern Rangoon
near where soldiers and police broke up a student protest the
day before, witnesses said.
The atmosphere around the University of Yangon and the
Yangon Institute of Technology was tense as armed troops and
police manned some sections of the main and side roads linking
the two institutions, they told Reuters.
"The atmosphere is visibly tense. I saw about 350 helmeted
soldiers near one intersection last night," a witness said.
Elsewhere, Rangoon was calm.
The road closures followed a night filled with rumours in
Rangoon that the ruling State Law and Order Restoration
Council might impose a night curfew after breaking up the
student protest at a road junction near Yangon University early
on Saturday.
There were also rumours the SLORC might close the two
institutions, whose students last week staged the two biggest
protests seen in Rangoon since pro-democracy uprisings in
1988 were crushed by the military, leaving thousands dead or in
jail.
The SLORC has made no comment in response to the rumours.
The authorities also continued to bar access to the residence of
opposition leader Aung San Sun Kyi in an apparent attempt to
prevent her from holding public gatherings and a,, a preventive
measure to keep her away from the student protests.
Early on Saturday, troops and police used water cannons to
break up the student group protesting near Yangon University.
Protesters, who refused to disperse despite pleas by government
officials, were detained.
Among other things they be allowed to set up student unions in
campuses they claimed were detained in a separate incident.
Many witnesses said they heard anti-government chanting by
students near a campus compound close to Yangon University
on Saturday night.
But they could not give any details because the area was scaled
off from the purpose of the roads was a government attempt to
cut off links. (Reuter)