Students boycott hearing amid police blockade

About 200 students forming the main protest column have been locked in a standoff with police outside a Buddhist monastery in the town of Letpadan, about 140 km (90 miles) from Yangon. 

The Upper House’s Bill Committee invited those concerned to attend the hearing, scheduled for March 5-15. The invitation was sent to the Action Committee for Democratic Education, political parties, the National Network for Education Reform, activists, registered civil societies.

According to Phyo Phyo Aung, a student activist, students who were selected to attend the hearing represent the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, known as Ba-Ka-Tha. 

However, on March 3, the police formed a police human chain around student protesters staging a sit-in near Aungmyaybeikman monastery. On Wednesday, about 300 police members placed barricades on the road. Phyo Phyo Aung considered that the authorities don’t want students’ participation.

“As the main column is blocked, the students from the Ba-Ka-Tha will not attend the hearing,” said Phyo Phyo Aung. He also said that they already informed Thein Lwin from the National Network for Education Reform (NNER) who visited the main column on Wednesday of the decision.

On Wednesday, students and political organisations from Mandalay Region staged a protest in Mandalay, calling the authorities not to use force against students. A small tussle was reported as the authorities told them to stop the unauthorised protest which blocked traffic.

Police so far have insisted that they would no resort to force.

“Under a democratic system, we will deal with a problem by a peaceful mean. And we have no plan to use violent methods. So we hold no any weapon in our hands. We will seek a solution to the problem after making coordination with students and people. Under the directives from the above, we are still making coordination with students,” Deputy Police Colonel Nanda Win Aung told the media. 

On Wednesday, some students in Yangon also marched to Yangon City Hall, demanding police not use force to crack down the students in Letpadan.

"What could happen when the student protesters reach Yangon? They probably would have a pen or pencil, not a weapon," student marcher Phyo Dana said. "We denounce the government as a bad government if they use force to crack down or threaten students with weapons.”

Later, the Kyauktada Township’s administrator asked participants to break up their march once they reached City Hall. About 100 police officers surrounded City Hall. 

 

Arrest of parents 

 

Police from Oakkan Township, Bago Region have detained eight people including two parents who came to meet their children taking part in the student demonstration at Aungmyay Beikman Monastery in Letpadan on Tuesday.

"We have no knowledge why they were detained. They just came to see and cheer their children. We've asked the police around here but they didn't tell us anything," said Myat Thu, one of the student representatives.

Student Myo Ko whose mother was detained said: "We couldn't reach their cell phones until a police colonel allowed me to call my mother. She is not so well."

The officials promised that the mother of Myo Ko and the father of the another girl will be released soon. But the other detained persons will be released only when the officials of National League for Democracy come and collect them.

Reporters were barred from entering the police station that night due to security concerns.