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From MIZZIMA News Group (r)



Burmese activists in India arrested while demonstrating against Interpol
heroin conference in Burma

By:  MIZZIMA NEWS GROUP
Date: 26th February 1999

Burmese student activists, including nine females, were detained for hours
on 26th February but released on the same day. The activists in India were
demonstrating against the holding of Interpol international heroin
conference in Burma and they were arrested by the Delhi police as they
entered the Embassy Area in New Delhi. Most of the foreign embassies in
New Delhi, including Burmese embassy, are located in this area which is
under the proclamation of session 144, and does not allow gathering of
more than five persons. 

The fourth international heroin conference was held in Rangoon, Burma from
23-26 February 1999. The activists held a demonstration in the morning of
26th February at Teen Murti, which is nearby the Embassy Area in New
Delhi. Forty-five demonstrators entered the area to approach the Burmese
embassy but the Delhi police arrested them before they reached the
embassy.

The demonstrators protested that holding an international heroin
conference in Burma is meaningless as the regime itself is giving safe
shelter to well-known drug warlords such as Khun Sa and Law Sit Han.
Moreover, the regime has exploited the conference to cover-up its direct
involvement in the drug trafficking, the protesters said. Burma is known
to be one of the world's largest heroin-producing countries. The
demonstrators claimed that heroin trafficking from Burma has been
increased tremendously across the borders of the country, including to
India after the present military junta took over power in 1988.

The demonstrators were charged with Indian Penal Code session 188 that
gives the authorities to sentence them minimum one month in prison. They
were detained for more than eight hours in the Chanakya Police station and
were released on bail in the late hours of 26th February. The
demonstration was jointly organized by India-based All Burma Students
League (ABSL) and Chin Students Union (CSU).