AAA

Three days ago 20 key human rights activists were arrested as demonstrators took to the streets to protest a quintupling of fuel prices in Burma. The move to increase the prices has sparked widespread anger in Burma, as Burma's exports of fuel has skyrocketed and brought the military regime windfall profits.

Demonstrations have continued for three days despite by the regime to suppress the protest. Thousands of police and members of the regime's civilian militia Union Solidarity and Development Association - the same organization that attempted to assassinate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2003 while beating to death 100 of her supporters - have been deployed throughout Burma's cities where they continue violent attacks on protestors. Dozens of demonstrators were been beaten and dragged into trucks yesterday, in which they are whisked away to detentions centers infamous for torture.

Yesterday, three members of the Security Council - the United States, France, and the United Kingdom all issued statements condemning the attacks on innocent protestors. Media attention has garnered 500 news articles in the past 48 hours alone including in the New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, and newspapers throughout Southeast Asia. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the World Organization Against Torture, and International Federation of Human Rights have all condemned the attacks and called for action.

For more information: www.uscampaignforburma.org