Jan 7, 2008 (DVB), More than 10 political activists, including one monk, have been arrested since 1 January in Rangoon alone, according to sources from the pro-democracy movement.

National League for Democracy spokesperson U Nyan Win, said that three NLD youth members, Htet Htet Aung, Ko Kyaw Kyaw and Kyaw Zin Win, were arrested on 4 January.

On 3 January, one monk and four civilians were arrested at the Sate Taing Kya teashop on Lewis Road.

Ko Ko Maung and Ko Min Han, both former political prisoners and 88 generation members, were also arrested in a separate incident, 88 generation leader Ko Soe Tun said.

All-Burmese Federation of Student Unions leader Kyaw Ko Ko narrowly escaped arrest when the house where he was staying was raided by the authorities.

NLD members from Yay Nan Chaung who were detained around independence day, purportedly to disrupt NLD celebrations to be held on the day, have all since been released.

Arrests have continued in Rangoon and elsewhere in Burma since the public demonstrations in September 2007, despite the regime's promise that no further detentions were taking place and in defiance of repeated appeals from the international community.

Reporting by Maung Too