18 arrested for land grabbing-related protest
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More arrests took place last week in Yangon, as the officials from the Yangon City Development Committee and the municipal police dismantled the 354-day-long Michaungkan protest camp on February 26.
The authorities arrested 18 protesters and hawkers near the camp during the early morning crackdown and sent them to the office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation for questioning.
“Six vehicles carrying men wearing blue uniforms arrived at our protest camp at about 3 am. All the protesters were forced to get on to the vehicles,” according to a protester who was detained along with others.
The protesters put up the camp that blocked the entrance to Yangon City Hall. They demanded the return of land which was confiscated by the government in 1991.
Among the 18 arrested, four were hawkers who were later released after paying a fine of Ks2,000 each.
The protesters set up the temporary protest camp without asking permission from the city authorities. They will be charged in court for violating Section 68 of the municipal act and Section 18 of the peaceful assembly and procession law.
Meanwhile, the municipal court of Latha Township granted bails to all the protesters and will question them again on March 11.
“Kyauktada Court granted bail to all 14 protesters of Michaungkan and they will attend the trial on March 11,” Police Lt Colonel Win Kyi of West District Police Force said on February 26 evening.
In December, 14 of them were sentenced to six-month imprisonment.
