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Human Rights Watch gravely concerne



Human Rights Watch gravely concerned about Myanmar arrests

       Tue 08 Sep 98 - 18:07 GMT

       WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (AFP) - Human Rights Watch voiced grave concern
Tuesday at the arrest of 220 dissidents
       in Myanmar in an apparent bid by the junta to prevent the opposition
from convening a parliament.

       "The latest round of arrests heralds a major new clampdown by the
ruling State Peace and Development Council,"
       Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

       "Human Rights Watch is gravely concerned about the reported arrests"
in Myanmar of opposition National League
       for Democracy (NLD) members, including 60 elected members of
parliament, it said.

       The New York-based group urged foreign ministers from Japan, Europe,
and Southeast Asia, set to meet in New
       York September 23-24, to condemn the arrests.

       It also called on those governments to urge "all appropriate measures
to allow all citizens to participate freely in the
       political process ... and to permit them to participate in a
meaningful process of national reconciliation."

       In the Myanmar capital, Yangon, NLD members said the military
government had arrested 110 more of its members,
       bringing the total to 220.

       Observers in Yangon said the arrests appeared to constitute a
pre-emptive strike after the NLD's announcement that
       it intends to convene the parliament elected in 1990 by the end of
this month.

       The ruling junta has never honored the outcome of those elections.


)AFP 1998