Members of Arakan League for Democracy (Japan Branch) participated in a demonstration that was led by the Shan National for Democracy (SND-Japan) in Tokyo, Japan on 27 November, demanding the release of Shan leaders who have received long imprisonment sentences by the Burma Junta recently.

“Our members led by U Mrat Thu, vice president of ALD (Japan), participated in the demonstration and condemned the lengthy sentences of Shan leaders. He also delivered his speech at the demonstration,” a member of ALD said to Narinjara by phone.

The demonstration was held in front of the Burmese embassy in Tokyo and over 50 Burmese democratic activists took part in the demonstration.

He said that “we launched the demonstration at 1:00 PM in front of the Burmese junta embassy. We demanded the release of our leaders Khun Tun Oo, General Sao Hso Htin and Sai Nyunt Lwin.”

Furthermore, the demonstrators demanded the release of democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu kyi and U tin Oo, the recognition of the result of the 1990 election and the holding of a tripartite dialogue among Burmese military, Democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the leaders from ethnic groups.

In the same day, however, the Burma military junta announced that they increased Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s prison term by one year.

It was learned that Khun Tun Oo, the chairman and elected MP of the Shan National League for Democracy ( SNLD), which has boycotted the junta’s constitutional assembly along with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD, was given ninety-two years while General Sao Hso Htin, a leader of cease-fire group called the Shan State National Army ( SSNA), received more than a hundred year prison term.