EU officials attend court case against students
Myanmar Eleven May 15, 2015 1:00 am
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European Union officials and diplomats from several other foreign embassies in Myanmar attended the court hearing of the students who were arrested for protesting against the national education law.
Officials from Thayawaddy District Court primarily allowed ten media personnel to attend the court trial on May 12, but other media personnel succeeded in pressuring for the permission later.
The hearing was attended by officials from the EU, political officer Thu Nguyen from the US embassy, legal research assistant Dr Bastain Boddenberg from the German embassy and first secretary for political affairs and press Sonia Tebbakh from the French embassy. The diplomats also met with student leader Min Thway Thit.
Min Thway Thit said he did not get adequate medical treatment for the injuries he sustained during the police crackdown.
"The prison has rules and rights for detainees. Detained students have to follow the rules set by officials but have yet to enjoy their own rights," he said.
EU official Kristian Mouer Daniecsen said: "I attended the court appearance as an observer. I cannot say how the EU will take action on this matter. I am responsible for the EU's human right monitoring."
Defence lawyer Robert San Aung said: "Today, EU officials and those from the embassies came to listen to the details of the court proceedings. They wanted to know whether the court was fair in their proceedings as well as to check that the police actually followed EU guidelines. This gives me hope that the international community has not forgotten and is keeping a close watch on how the Letpadan students suffered at the hands of the police."
Many students from the protest column who were released attended the hearing as well, carrying flags and chanting cries of support for the defendants.
The students and some supporters have been detained for over two months. Three student leaders, including Kyaw Ko Ko, are still officially listed as fugitives from the law.
The arrests after violent crackdown spark alarms in international community, whether this would jeopardise the nation's reforms.
On the same day, six MPs from the Upper House held a discussion on the draft to amend the National Education Law, which was recently passed by the Lower House.
MP Min Oo said that the amendments should benefit of the people, next generation and the state.
MP Hpone Myint Aung said police was adamant that they could arrest students in Letpadan given that the original law does not legalise student unions.
He added that while the Upper House endorsed the change that would legalise the unions, the Lower House did not endorse the change.
"What the students wanted is to have an independence education system. It is mainly intended to form student unions and teacher unions. We need to enact the law for the desire of the students. What the Lower House making now is like denying the students' desires. They should approve the decision of the Upper House because they have already made negotiations with the students," said Banyar Aung Moe.
During the hearing recess, student leader Phyo Phyo Aung said: "Today, the plaintiff said our public talks contained statements that violate penal code Section 505(B), such as saying Myanmar has a partial military government and other statements unmasking the government to reveal the demons underneath. Most of the things he said were inaccurate and inconsistent. He named people who were not even a part of the student protest. The dates were wrong. We will consult with our lawyers about those mistakes and on how to proceed."
The next hearing has been set for May 26. The defendants were sent back to Thayawady Prison after the hearing.
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Myanmar student protesters talk to their relatives at the Thayawaddy court./AFP
Activists with flags run alongside police vans in a show of support for detained student protesters as they return to prison./AFP
European Union officials and diplomats from several other foreign embassies in Myanmar attended the court hearing of the students who were arrested for protesting against the national education law.
Officials from Thayawaddy District Court primarily allowed ten media personnel to attend the court trial on May 12, but other media personnel succeeded in pressuring for the permission later.The hearing was attended by officials from the EU, political officer Thu Nguyen from the US embassy, legal research assistant Dr Bastain Boddenberg from the German embassy and first secretary for political affairs and press Sonia Tebbakh from the French embassy. The diplomats also met with student leader Min Thway Thit.
Min Thway Thit said he did not get adequate medical treatment for the injuries he sustained during the police crackdown.
"The prison has rules and rights for detainees. Detained students have to follow the rules set by officials but have yet to enjoy their own rights," he said.
EU official Kristian Mouer Daniecsen said: "I attended the court appearance as an observer. I cannot say how the EU will take action on this matter. I am responsible for the EU's human right monitoring."
Defence lawyer Robert San Aung said: "Today, EU officials and those from the embassies came to listen to the details of the court proceedings. They wanted to know whether the court was fair in their proceedings as well as to check that the police actually followed EU guidelines. This gives me hope that the international community has not forgotten and is keeping a close watch on how the Letpadan students suffered at the hands of the police."
Many students from the protest column who were released attended the hearing as well, carrying flags and chanting cries of support for the defendants.
The students and some supporters have been detained for over two months. Three student leaders, including Kyaw Ko Ko, are still officially listed as fugitives from the law.
The arrests after violent crackdown spark alarms in international community, whether this would jeopardise the nation's reforms.
On the same day, six MPs from the Upper House held a discussion on the draft to amend the National Education Law, which was recently passed by the Lower House.
MP Min Oo said that the amendments should benefit of the people, next generation and the state.
MP Hpone Myint Aung said police was adamant that they could arrest students in Letpadan given that the original law does not legalise student unions.
He added that while the Upper House endorsed the change that would legalise the unions, the Lower House did not endorse the change.
"What the students wanted is to have an independence education system. It is mainly intended to form student unions and teacher unions. We need to enact the law for the desire of the students. What the Lower House making now is like denying the students' desires. They should approve the decision of the Upper House because they have already made negotiations with the students," said Banyar Aung Moe.
During the hearing recess, student leader Phyo Phyo Aung said: "Today, the plaintiff said our public talks contained statements that violate penal code Section 505(B), such as saying Myanmar has a partial military government and other statements unmasking the government to reveal the demons underneath. Most of the things he said were inaccurate and inconsistent. He named people who were not even a part of the student protest. The dates were wrong. We will consult with our lawyers about those mistakes and on how to proceed."
The next hearing has been set for May 26. The defendants were sent back to Thayawady Prison after the hearing.
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