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AFP : US denied access to Americans



US denied access to Americans detained in Myanmar
Mon 10 Aug 98 - 20:56 GMT 

WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (AFP) - The State Department on Monday voiced deep
concern at Myanmar's rebuff to US officials seeking access to six Americans
detained in the Southeast Asian country.

"By now we would expect to have access through our consular officials" in
the capital, Yangon, the State Department said in a prepared statement.

US officials have repeatedly sought and been denied contact with six US
nationals detained Sunday along with 12 other foreign nationals, apparently
for destributing pro-opposition leaflets, he said.

"We are deeply concerned by the government's unwillingness to follow normal
consular procedure. Furthermore, we have not been formally informed of the
specific allegations against the Americans that led to their arrest," it
said.

"We understand they are detained under suspicion of distributing
pamphlets," it said, adding that this "seems to be consistent with the
government's repression of all forms of freedom of expression."

Besides the six US nationals, three Thais, three Malaysians, three
Indonesians, two Filipinos and one Australian were also arrested.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, on Monday condemned
the junta and demanded the detainees be released immediately.