Ian MacKinnon
SE Asia correspondent
The Guardian
January 30, 2008
Burma's military regime has filed charges against 10 leading activists for orchestrating the rallies against price rises that snowballed into last year's brutally suppressed mass protests against the government.
Two of the most prominent pro-democracy leaders, Min Ko Niaing, 45, and Ko Ko Gyi, 46, were among those accused under legislation barring unregistered groups from making statements. They face seven years' imprisonment.
Aung Thein, a lawyer acting for the opposition National League for Democracy, headed by Aung San Suu Kyi, said: "They are likely to face trials behind closed doors inside Insein prison. I am ready to defend them, but so far I have not been allowed to meet with them."
The lawyer added that it was unclear what statements the men were alleged to have made, or why they were not accused of the more serious offence of sedition.
The pair, leading figures in the movement responsible for the last big uprising nearly two decades ago, were seized in August as the regime rounded up the ringleaders of protests against huge rises in fuel prices.
Gyi's younger brother, Ko Aung, visited the detained leaders almost a week ago and said their condition was "not so bad".
Released from jail four years ago, they formed the 88 Generation student group that secretly organised rallies against the sudden price rises that proved devastating for already impoverished Burmese. The protests grew into mass demonstrations. At least 31 people were killed when they were suppressed.
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