WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States condemned on Tuesday the Myanmar military regime's decision to charge 10 pro-democracy activists, deeming it evidence that the junta spurns efforts at national reconciliation.
The US State Department also reiterated its call for the military rulers to release all political prisoners, including democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
"The United States condemns the regime's decision to press criminal charges against ten Burmese pro-democracy activists, including Generation 88 leaders Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, for the peaceful expression of their political beliefs," State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said in a statement.
The decision is "further evidence that the regime is rejecting all efforts to promote dialogue and national reconciliation," as expressed by the UN Security Council Presidential Statement of October 11, he added.
"The United States calls on (General) Than Shwe and his regime to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, to cease the arrests and prosecution of democracy and human rights activists, and to begin a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with Burma's democratic and ethnic minority representatives on a transition to a civilian, democratic government," Casey said.
A lawyer or the opposition National League for Democracy said Tuesday that authorities had filed criminal charges against 10 activists arrested in August over rallies that snowballed into mass demonstrations against the regime.
The arrested, including Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, were charged under a law that bans unregistered groups from making statements, and could be sentenced up to seven years in prison, said the lawyer.
Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi were among the top student leaders of a pro-democracy uprising in 1988, and both have already served lengthy prison sentences.
They formed the 88 Generation Student Group after their release about four years ago. The group spearheaded demonstrations against the government in August, in anger over a massive hike in fuel prices.
After their arrest, Buddhist monks began leading the protests, which turned into the biggest threat to military rule since the 1988 uprising.
Min Ko Naing's group is not recognized by the military regime, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962.
Although Aung San Suu Kyi led the NLD to a landslide victory in elections in 1990, the military has never recognized the result.
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