UN rights envoy seeks release of Myanmar dissidents

GENEVA, Sep 28 (Reuters) The United Nations investigator on human rights in Myanmar today called for the release of three prominent dissidents rearrested after previously serving long jail terms.

Police picked up Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Htay Kway, leaders of a 1988 student uprising, at their homes in Yangon shortly after dawn yesterday.

Min Ko Naing was freed in November 2004 after nearly 16 years behind bars. Ko Ko Gyi, another key figure in the nationwide protests against military rule that ended in the deaths of several thousand demonstrators, was freed in March 2005.

''The arrests lead to serious questions regarding the will of the government of Myanmar to resume an effective dialogue with the various stakeholders who should be associated to the National Convention,'' Pinheiro said in a statement.

He was referring to a constitution-drafting convention which Lieutenant General Thein Sein has been quoting as saying would be reconvened on October 10 after a 10-month recess.

The military has run the Southeast Asian nation under various guises since 1962 and the current group of generals have been in power since 1988.

Nobel peace-prize winning San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won an election landslide victory in 1990 only to be denied power by the junta.

Reuters SP GC1712