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                    Burma Marks 25 Years Since '88 Uprising'

   Burmese activists are marking the 25th anniversary of a pro-democracy
   uprising that was crushed by the country`s military leaders.
   Dozens of protesters, including some involved in the 1988
   demonstrations, marched through the streets of Rangoon Thursday in an
   unauthorized rally.
   The protesters refused to stop when police asked them if they had
   complied with a law requiring protests to be approved by the
   government.
   Those marching say they did not feel permission was necessary in order
   to commemorate those who died in what became known as the "88
   Uprising."
   Earlier, activists laid wreaths at Rangoon`s Sule Pagoda, where the
   bloody military crackdown on the protesters first began.
   More than 3,000 people were killed during the military`s response to
   the protests, which saw hundreds of thousands of people flood the
   streets calling for an end to harsh military rule.
   Many activists say the 88 Uprising helped push the country toward its
   recent democratic reforms.
   Since a nominally civilian government took power in 2011, Burma has
   released hundreds of political prisoners, reduced government
   censorship, and allowed democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi to successfully
   run for parliament.
   Despite the reforms, some say the military-dominated government has not
   held accountable those responsible for past human rights violations.
   Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch called on President Thein Sein
   "to commit to an independent investigation and fair prosecutions of
   officials and commanders responsible for the mass killings of
   pro-democracy protesters 25 years ago."
   The New York-based group said the incident continues to be an
   "unaddressed open wound that challenges the government`s rhetoric of
   reform." It said addressing the abuses is "absolutely necessary for
   Burmese society to move forward."
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/burma-marks-25-years-since-88-uprisin
   g/1725732.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/burma-marks-25-years-since-88-uprising/1725732.html