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Two Pro-Democracy Activists Detained in Burma

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Members of Burma's National League for Democracy say authorities have detained at least two democracy activists.

Their arrests come just days after authorities detained three other activists. Those three were arrested hours before a ceremony in Rangoon Wednesday marking the 18th anniversary of the party's founding.

Canada issued a statement Saturday calling for the immediate release of the activists detained this week, and urged the junta to respect the human rights of the Burmese people.

Burmese authorities have not publicly commented on the incidents.

U.N. diplomat Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said earlier this week that the detention of the opposition party members brings into question the government's commitment to democratic reform. Pinherio is assigned to monitor the human rights situation in Burma.

The National League for Democracy won national elections by a landslide in 1990, but Burma's military did not allow it to assume power.

Party leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention for 10 of the past 16 years.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

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