RANGOON ARRESTS

[altsean@xxxxxxxxxx]

For Immediate Release:
August 9 ,1998

MULTI-NATIONAL PEACE-MAKING TEAM
ARRESTED IN RANGOON

Members of the Multi-National Peace-Making Team were arrested today by the
Burmese military regime.

Several of the eighteen activists from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Thailand USA were arrested in the streets of Rangoon while the
rest were arrested at Mingladon Airport. They are being detained for
allegedly "attempting to incite unrest".

The activists were distributing Goodwill Messages in Burmese and English
which said:

We are your friends from around the world.
We have not forgotten you.
We support your hopes for human rights and democracy.
8888 ~ Don?t Forget ~ Don?t Give Up

The activists include lawyers, academics, businesspeople and students -
they are members of about 13 organisations from the Asia Pacific which
support human rights and democracy.

Altsean-Burma which has been providing media support for the Multi-National
Peace-Making Team is shocked by the arrests and is deeply concerned for
their welfare.

Expressing goodwill to the peoples of Burma does not constitute inciting
unrest.

Altsean-Burma calls for the immediate release of all those arrested.

Representatives of some of the organisations involved will speak to the
media at a press conference tomorrow morning. Details:

Time:	1030
Date:	Monday August 10
Place:Siam Beverly Hotel, 188 Rachadaphisek Rd, Huay Kwang, Bangkok 
     (nr Tokyu & Robinson Dept stores)
 
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Text of Fax Confirming Arrests from H. Min to Media:


(18) Foreigners Caught By The Public While Distributing Pamphlets To Incite
Unrest In Yangon

	On the morning of August 9, (18) foreigners were apprehended attempting to
incte unrest unrest in Yangon.

	Foreigners who were distributing the pamphlets in downtown Yangon were
reported to the police by citizens and taken to the police stations for
questioning and they are being detained while the investigation continues.

	The group arrived in Yangon on august 7 together from Bangkok on tourist
visa and planned to leave on the evening of August 9.

	Various pamphlets and related materials aimed at inciting public unrest
were found in their hotel rooms. The trip was organized by Na Ga Forum Asia
Group in thailand and a professor from RANTSIT (sic) University was among
the group.

	Among those foreigners who been detained are (10) males and (8) females
which comprises (3) Thais, (3) Malaysians, (3) Indonesians, (2)
Philippines, (6) U.S. and (1) Australian.

	Despite these efforts for agitation conditions in Yangon, Mandalay and
other parts of the country are peaceful and calm.

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A L T S E A N - B U R M A
Alternative Asean Network on Burma
Tel/Fax: 66 2 693 4515 * <altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>