

Authorities seal off universities (

Subject: Authorities seal off universities (The Asian Age, 9/12/96.)

Authorities seal off universities 
The Asian Age, 9/12/96. 
Rangoon, Dec. 8: Burma's military authorities on Sunday kept  
some roads closed around two universities in northern Rangoon  
near where soldiers and police broke up a student protest the  
day before, witnesses said. 
The atmosphere around the University of Yangon and the  
Yangon Institute of Technology was tense as armed troops and  
police manned some sections of the main and side roads linking  
the two institutions, they told Reuters. 
"The atmosphere is visibly tense. I saw about 350 helmeted  
soldiers near one intersection last night," a witness said.  
Elsewhere, Rangoon was calm. 
The road closures followed a night filled with rumours in  
Rangoon that the ruling State Law and Order Restoration  
Council might impose a night curfew after breaking up the  
student protest at a road junction near Yangon University early  
on Saturday. 
There were also rumours the SLORC might close the two  
institutions, whose students last week staged the two biggest  
protests seen in Rangoon since pro-democracy uprisings in  
1988 were crushed by the military, leaving thousands dead or in  
The SLORC has made no comment in response to the rumours.  
The authorities also continued to bar access to the residence of  
opposition leader Aung San Sun Kyi in an apparent attempt to  
prevent her from holding public gatherings and a,, a preventive  
measure to keep her away from the student protests. 
Early on Saturday, troops and police used water cannons to  
break up the student group protesting near Yangon University.  
Protesters, who refused to disperse despite pleas by government  
officials, were detained. 
Among other things they be allowed to set up student unions in  
campuses they claimed were detained in a separate incident. 
Many witnesses said they heard anti-government chanting by  
students near a campus compound close to Yangon University  
on Saturday night. 
But they could not give any details because the area was scaled  
off from the purpose of the roads was a government attempt to  
cut off links. (Reuter)