A Thailand based welfare group today took up the case of a Burmese human rights defender, arrested by the military junta in Rangoon last month, with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders.

Myint Aye, who was arrested on September 30 following the arrest of five 88 generation student leaders, has not been in touch with his family and his whereabouts is unknown, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).

“We want the UN special representative to investigate the matter and question the junta about his [U Myint Aye] whereabouts,” said Ko Tate Naing, secretary of the AAPPB.

Myint Aye had begun his activities peacefully in 2005 by talking and explaining to people, particularly youths about the United Nations declaration on Human Rights.

Following the arrest of the five 88 generation student leaders on September 27, Myint Aye released a statement calling for the release of the student leaders and condemned the authorities for the arrest. On September 30, he was called from his home in Rangoon by two police officers on an excuse to have a ‘discussion with a higher officer’.

“The arrest and detention of U Myint Aye proves the SPDC military junta] is not serious about protecting the human rights of its citizens,” Tate Naing said. ” U Myint Aye was not engaged in political work – he was only concerned with defending and promoting human rights in Burma.”

Myint Aye, who has been arrested four times prior to his current detention, was a former NLD chairman of Kyimyindine Township.

The AAPPB hopes that after the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders reviews Myint Aye’s case, they will question the military regime in Burma about the nature of the charges against him and the reason for his continued detention.