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YANGON - Myanmar authorities detained around 20 members of imprisoned Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party Sunday as they headed back from events to mark her father's death, an official said.
Around 300 members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) had gathered amid tight security, witnesses said, to pay tribute to the country's independence champion General Aung San, who was assassinated on July 19, 1947.
The authorities allowed around 50 party members to march peacefully to Martyr's Mausoleum in Yangon to pay tribute, but a number were detained on their return, an official told AFP.
"About 20 NLD members were detained for cautioning on their way back. They will be released after cautioning," he said.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who was aged two when her father died, marked the day at Insein prison, where she is on trial on charges of violating her house arrest rules after an American man swam uninvited to her home in May.
"We sent food for 330 people at the prison hospital on behalf of Daw Suu to mark Martyr's Day today," said Nyan Win, her lawyer and spokesman for the NLD.
The opposition party used the occasion to reiterate calls for the release of all political prisoners including the Nobel Laureate whose trial, which resumes on Friday, has provoked international outrage.
Officials of the military-ruled nation also marked the day with a small ceremony at the mausoleum in memory of the general, who was killed a few months before the country became independent from Britain.
Yangon Mayor, Brigadier General Aung Thein Linn, some government officials and family members of late leaders attended the 62nd anniversary event near the famous Shwedagon pagoda.
Witnesses said that more than ten trucks were stationed by the mausoleum check point, while more than 100 plain-clothed police officers were taking photos and video taping outside the NLD headquarters nearby.
- AFP/ir
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