Mizzima News

Chiang Mai - Prominent woman activist Nilar Thein, who went into hiding one year ago, was hunted down and arrested on Wednesday.

An 88 generation student, who requested not to be named, told Mizzima that Nilar Thein was arrested by Burmese security forces on Wednesday evening while going to visit fellow activist Ant Bwe Kyaw's mother in Rangoon's Yan Kin Township.

"It is confirmed that she was arrested while going to visit the mother of Ant Bwe Kyaw," the 88 generation student, who is also on the run from the junta, told Mizzima.

However, it is still unclear how Nilar Thein was arrested and where she is being detained.

But, the 88 student said it is possible that Nilar Thein was arrested on her way to see Ant Bwe Kyaw's mother, who resides alone and is reportedly in ill health.

Nilar Thein went into hiding as the junta brutally cracked down on protestors in Rangoon and other cities last August and September, leaving her young baby with family members.

Nilar Thein's husband, Kyaw Min Yu, also a member of the 88 generation students, was arrested on August 21, 2007 along with 12 colleagues, including prominent student leader Min Ko Naing as well as Ko Ko Gyi, Min Zeya, and Mya Aye.

On August 19, 2007, Kyaw Min Yu's group held the first peaceful march in protest against the sharp rise in fuel prices. The protest, which was joined by over 400 people, later ignited nation-wide protests that grew into the largest demonstrations in the country since the 1988 student-led anti-government protests.

In November 2007, Nilar Thein's female colleague Suu Suu Nwe, a champion for labor rights, was arrested for her involvement in a September protest.

Nilar Thein's arrest came amidst the junta's new campaign against activists in a step to prevent renewed protests in the days leading up to the anniversary of last year's Saffron Revolution.

Nilar Thein had earlier served two terms of imprisonment in Insein and Tharrawaddy prisons for her involvement in political activities.

In March, she along with two of her colleagues—Suu Suu Nwe and Phyu Phyu Thin —were named recipients of the Czech Republic's Homo Homini award for their promotion of democracy, human rights and nonviolent solutions in Burma's political conflicts.