Violent crackdown in Letpadan

Police crackdown took place yesterday in Letpadan, some 130 kilometres from Yangon, deepening concerns that authorities have not lost the repressive reflex forged during the junta era.

Baton-wielding Myanmar police beat student activists vying for education reform, following the violent crackdown in Yangon on March 5 which led to detention and arrests of over 10 protesters. 

The crackdown also took place amid concerns on ongoing political reforms in the country. In a report published on Monday, Yanghee Lee, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, showed her concerns on the conditions of “Rohingya” people in Rakhine State, aside from concerns over the voting rights of those holding temporary citizen cards as well as land use laws. 

AFP reporter in Letpadan witnessed that demonstrators, including young activists and monks, scattered through the streets in the central town of Letpadan when hundreds of riot police dispersed the protest, lashing out as they moved to block streets.

One student protester, who asked not to be named, told AFP by phone that he was taking shelter with some 70 other demonstrators in a monastery, but police had surrounded the building. 

"The police beat us," he said, adding several protesters had sustained injuries. 

"We cannot accept this kind of crackdown," he added. 

Soon afterwards, police were seen entering the monastery and it was not immediately possible to make contact with the protesters.

Demonstrators had earlier scuffled with police as they tried to push through the security blockade.

Some 200 students and activists from the core group protesting against the education bill had camped out in Letpadan since March 2 as the authorities barred them to march to Yangon. The blocking convinced them not to join the hearing on the education bill at Parliament last week.

The 88 Generation Peace and Open Society held a press conference on March 5, denouncing the crackdown and calling for an immediate release of the students in detention. The five students and three activists arrested in Yangon were released two days later.

Their move were soon followed by more than 60 organisations which on March 7 slammed authorities. 

Groups including the Myanmar Lawyers' Network, Saffron Monks, Ex-political Prisoners from Coco Islands and Sayagyi Thakin Kodaw Hmaing Peace Network attended the news conference and denounced the involvement of civilians wearing red armbands in the crackdown on protesters.

"It's clear who created the rioting when you look at the March 5 crackdown," Myat Swe from Ex-political Prisoners from Coco Islands said. "The students didn’t create it. The government created the protest and aimed to have it prolonged."

State-run media reported that the protesters sparked the violence by attacking authorities, which eyewitnesses and student supporters insist is false.

"The violent crackdown is not only violating human rights, but also committing crimes," said David Hla Myint, secretary of Human Rights Abuse Investigation Committee. "Who allowed such a violent act? The government's old habits do not change."

The Myanmar Lawyers' Network also released a statement denouncing the violent crackdown in front of the City Hall, which was in support of students who are protesting the National Education Law, but have been corralled by authorities in Letpadan since last week.

Groups at Thursday's news conference also called on the government to avoid a violent crackdown on the main boycott student column blocked by police in Letpadan. Also, 23 political groups, including political parties, sent a letter to President Thein Sein requesting that students in Letpadan be dealt with peacefully. 

Five students and three activists detained during the City Hall protest have since been released.