Education in Mandalay Region

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Description: ''The Government of Myanmar should immediately and unconditionally free seven university students sentenced to three months in prison with hard labor for peacefully protesting security conditions on their university campus in Mandalay, said Athan and Fortify Rights today. “These convictions are absurd,” said Maung Saungkha, Founder of Athan. “This is yet another example of the Myanmar government jailing students and activists for exercising their right to peacefully assemble. Instead of locking up students for holding a protest, the government should listen to their calls for better security.” On February 13, the Amarapura Township Court found seven students of Yadanabon University guilty of arson and holding a protest without providing proper notification, sentencing the students to a total of three months’ in prison with hard labor. The seven students are prominent members of the Yadanabon Student Union and were involved in organizing a series of protests beginning on December 28 on Yadanabon University campus, calling for improved campus security. The security conditions on the campus of Yadanabon University and in surrounding areas in Mandalay are troubling, said Athan and Fortify Rights. In the fall of 2018, three students—Ko Nay Min Htet, age 19, Htet Lin Thant, age 18, and So Moe Hein, age 20—were robbed and murdered in Mandalay, while up to 15 motorcycles of students are stolen each year, according to the protesters. Yadanabon University employs around 30 security officers to provide security for approximately 25,000 students. After raising concerns with local officials—including University Rector Maung Maung Naing, Mandalay Regional Chief Minister Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, and other relevant authorities—and failing to receive an adequate response, the Yadanabon Student Union organized protests. In addition to demanding better security for students, they called for toilets to be fixed and more maintenance personnel...''
Source/publisher: "Fortify Rights"
2019-02-15
Date of entry/update: 2019-02-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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