Su Su Nway, a prominent labor and land rights activist and a member of the opposition National League for Democracy was taken off a bus traveling to Yangon today and arrested, her husband confirmed.
She was coming from Bago where she was assisting farmers in land-grabbing cases.
Along the way, while still in Bago’s Inn Daw Kaw township, authorities stopped the bus and told the driver to pull in to a nearby police station.
Ko Mar Kee, her husband, suspects she was arrested because of accusations that she went inside a military compound in Bago Division without approval. Farmers in the area accuse the military of occupying thousands of acres of their land and destroying their crops.
Su Su Nway went to the compound about a month ago and was told she couldn’t enter without permission. After she allegedly went in anyway a case was opened against her. She received a summons to appear in court but replied that if the authorities wanted her to show up they would have to come and get her.
Police in Bago could not be reached.
“As the election comes closer, they are arresting democracy activists and influential activists for a variety of acts,” Ko Mar Kee told Coconuts Yangon, referring to the hotly anticipated November 8 poll.
Su Su Nway updated her Facebook status about an hour ago, apparently while in custody.
“The current government and military are arresting people because they feel afraid for the election,” she said. “Don’t worry my friends. I will not take the bail as I didn’t make any mistakes.”
A picture of her talking to the police (see above) was also uploaded to her account. She’s being held at Inn Daw Kaw court in Bago Division.
Su Su Nway has been arrested multiple times since she first came to prominence as an activist about 10 years ago.
Photo supplied
