28 detained students involved in strike released in Myanmar

Some 28 students out of those detained earlier this month in the Myanmar authorities' move to disperse a protest in Latpadan, Bago region have so far been released after scrutiny, an official report said Wednesday.

A total of 127 protesters, including 65 students and 62 civilians, were arrested during the action on March 10.

The authorities had on March 11 freed 10 Buddhist monks involved in the strike with regard to amendment of the national education law, according to an earlier report.

Violent clashes between the government's security forces and the striking students occurred in Latpadan on March 10 as the protesters attempted to push through the barricade erected by the security forces to head for Yangon after negotiation between the two sides broke down.

The dispersal action brought the more than one week's sit-in protest in Lapadan to an end.

The students planned a non-stop protest march towards Yangon although all 11 points of their demand on the amendment of the education law were agreed in principle during four-party talks on Feb. 11 which involve the government, the parliament, the Leading Committee for Democracy Education Movement and the National Network for Education Reform (NNER).

The education amendment bill is being discussed at the ongoing parliament session of the upper house with an emphasis on suitability, adaptability and practicality for the long-term interest of the country, according to parliament sources. Endi