Detained education activists demand medical check-ups

Lawyer Tin Tun, who represents the detained activists, asked the plaintiff police major Phone Myint if he knew Tin Win lost consciousness during the previous trial, that he was taken to the neuro-medical department at Yangon General Hospital, that he sustained injuries during the police crackdown and that police beat the students with batons.
Phone Myint replied that the police did not beat the students with batons.
The detained activists have demanded that the authorities systematically check the injuries of all the detainees.
“Our students and civilian supporters sustained interior injuries. We don’t have systematic medical treatment here. The interior injuries are not obvious. Coughing and sneezing are not serious. Khin Naing might suffer interior injuries. We are worried about how many detained students and civilians might suffer like this. Therefore, systematic medical check-ups should be made,” said student leader Nanda Sit Aung.
During the previous trial session, the judge rejected the bail put up by fifteen detained students.
Buddhist monk Shwe Nyawa Sayadaw and members of the Sangha visited the trial to support the detained students and civilian activists.
“The detained students and civilian activists did not demand the power of the state, the economy, as well as 25 per cent of the seats in parliament, as the military has; they want educational reforms. For this, I supported them,” said Shwe Nyawa Sayadaw.
On June 7, student activists from various universities and executive members of the Teachers’ Federation were invited to the residence of Aung San Suu Kyi, chairperson of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
Sixty-two students from 15 universities, as well as 14 executive members of the Teachers’ Federation and various members of the NLD, were present for the discussion which lasted three and half hours. 
“We discussed amendments to the national education law, higher education law and university law. The role of all teachers should be expanded. This point must be drafted in the law,” said one Teachers’ Federation executive member.
“We discussed the detained students of the main student boycott column and the unfair arrest of students [for expressing their political beliefs]. We asked for assistance from Aung San Suu Kyi, who is the chairperson of the Rule of Law Committee, in securing the detained students’ immediate release. We want students’ unions and teachers’ unions,” said Naing Ye Wai from Yadanabon University.
At the meeting, Suu Kyi expressed her support for allowing the word “union” into the national education and higher education laws.
No resolution was passed at the meeting. Some political affairs were also discussed, said university student Zeyar Lwin.
Suu Kyi encouraged the students to support the NLD, saying the parliament needs to practice democratisation and is responsible for deciding on educational matters.
“The meeting was not directly related to the detained students. The students highlighted the unfair arrest of the students, but it was not the main thing discussed. When Suu Kyi was touring the country, she met with students in Hinthada, Pyay and Mon. She explained only what the students wanted to know about the national educational law. The NLD shared its ideas for the national education law during its meeting,” said MP Phyoe Zeyar Thaw of the NLD.
Suu Kyi told the media that she would encourage students to vote for her.