No information on a three-day student riot near the University of Mandalay in February 2002 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, the Democratic Voice of Burma reported that three separate "brawls" between students of the Institute of Economics and the Culture University in Ywarthargyi took place on 14 February 2002 (22 Feb. 2002). "[F]our military trucks from the War Office in Rangoon arrived at the scene after midnight and raided the campuses of the two universities," according to eyewitness accounts (DVB 22 Feb. 2002).

In a separate incident, the Democratic Voice of Burma reported that an altercation occurred between a group of students and traffic police near the University of Mandalay in March 2002 (19 Mar. 2002). The situation reportedly began when a student was stopped for not wearing a helmet on his motorcycle (DVB 19 Mar. 2002). It is not known how many people were injured or arrested in the dispute (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Democratic Voice of Burma [Oslo, in Burmese]. 19 March 2002. "Students Smash Traffic Lights in Mandalay, Police Called In." http://www.dvb.no/scoop/2002/20020319a.html [Accessed 23 June 2003]

_____. 20 February 2002. "Burma: Junta Temporarily Closes Two Universities Following Gang Brawls." (Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire 22 Feb. 2002/NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International

Asian Human Rights Commission

BBC News

Burmamedia

The Burma Project (News Archives)

Country Reports 2002

Democratic Voice of Burma

Free Burma.org

Human Rights Watch

Online Burma Library

World News Connection

Search Engine:

Google