Students proceed with protest march to Yangon

 

According to the parents of students from universities in Ayeyarwady Region, the region’s chief minister Thein Aung on February 5 held a meeting with some parents. He told them that his power to assure the students’ safety was restricted to the region.  

The students in the region joined those in Mandalay in a protest march to Yangon. The march was suspended on February 1 when they had a meeting with the authorities. The march resumed at noon on the next day, as the discussion to amend some parts of the law was postponed until after February 12 on the directive of President Thein Sein.

Since the unauthorised march started on January 20, there were attempts to block it including road barriers. Students were also barred to rest at some public venues.

The parents in Ayeyarwady Region said that the chief minister called for a meeting with some parents. They were asked whether they permitted their children to take part in the protest. 

“All of us said yes. We also told him our hardships when asked why the protest occurs,” he said.

San San Htay, another parent, said that the chief minister said he would take care of the security for the students only in the region. 

“He also said that he doesn’t want the students to march on to Yangon and wants us to tell our children to stop the protest march. It's a peaceful dialogue. About 10 parents came to the meeting. I attended the meeting as a guardian of five students," said San San Htay who is from Myaungmya Township.

The march continued after the unsuccessful meeting with Union Minister Aung Min of the Presidential Office, Union Minister Khin San Yi of the Education Ministry, officials of the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Education, Lower House MPs, Upper House MPs and intelligentsias. In a rare reaction, the National League for Democracy was criticised for its threat to take action against NLD member Dr Thein Lwin who participated in the four-party talk on education reform as a representative of the National Network for Education Reform (NNER). 

Like students from other universities, Ayeyarwady students did not obtain official permission for the protest march.

They began their march on February 3 from Pathein. On February 4, they arrived in Kyaunggon Township, where residents, including farmers, warmly welcomed them by chanting slogans supporting the protest march. They will proceed to Pantanaw, Nyaungdon, Maubin, Pyapon and Dedaye Townships before joining the main protest march from Mandalay in Yangon. 

The march began as the government failed to amend the law within 60 days as students demanded in their 4-day protest in November. They criticised the excessive centralisation of the law. In this march, they demanded 11 points, including the recognition of students and teachers’ unions. 

 

Box 

Students’ 11-points demand 

(1) to include teachers and student representatives in drawing up education policy, laws, bylaws and related laws; 

(2) to have freedom to establish student unions and teachers' unions and have these unions officially recognised; 

(3) the formation of a national education commission and the university coordination committee prescribed in the national education law; 

(4) to have greater autonomy in the governance of universities; 

(5) to amend the current exam system and university entrance system; 

(6) to adopt teaching methods that ensure that students develop independent thoughts; 

(7) to guarantee freedom to all national races and include mother-tongue-based multi-lingual education in the national education law; 

(8) to implement an all-inclusive education system, particularly of students with disabilities; 

(9) to allow students expelled from the universities for their involvements in protests to return to their universities; 

(10) to designate 20 per cent of the country’s overall budget for educational purposes; 

(11) to implement a free, compulsory education system for the middle-school level students as well as primary school students.