Myanmar dissidents stay out of sight - UPI.com

"YANGON, Myanmar, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A student opposition movement in Myanmar is leaving its trademark red cross in public places but is otherwise keeping a low profile, its members say.
The crosses -- spray-painted on walls and traffic signals -- have been appearing more frequently, the German magazine Der Spiegel reports. Students who go out at night with cans of paint have adopted the name 'Red Campaign' for their movement."



The campaign operates deep undercover, with members organized into groups of five. In one recent case, when posters that said "Remember 88" were pasted on a university wall, soldiers were sent to remove them.

"The government has seldom been so hated as it is now," a teacher who is a leader in another group, "88 New Generation," said.

The 88 refers to Aug. 8, 1988, when 1 million people participated in non-violent protests against the former dictator, Ne Win. Aung San Suu Kyi emerged as a leader in 1988 and has been under house arrest for most of the time since.

On the 20th anniversary last week, demonstrations were held around the world against the military junta, except in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, where a silent march ended in about 50 arrests.



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