YANGON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Thirteen members of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy were arrested just days before Myanmar's junta freed more than 5,000 prisoners last week, a party official said on Tuesday.

 

NLD Secretary U Lwin said 13 party officials in Bogalay Township, about 80 miles (130km) southwest of Yangon, were detained on Dec.6 for organising a National Day ceremony even though the event did not take place. They were accused of trying to incite unrest and we hear they will be sent for trial,'' U Lwin told Reuters.

 

Human rights groups say a crackdown on the opposition in military-ruled Myanmar has continued since the junta began releasing thousands of prisoners following an internal purge in October.

 

More than 14,000 prisoners have been freed since late November, with the latest batch of 5,070 on Sunday. But they have included only a handful of an estimated 1,300-1,400 political prisoners.

 

Nine NLD members and two Democracy Party leaders were let go on Sunday, raising to 56 the nember of political detainees freed since the mass releases began.

 

Western governments and human rights groups have demanded the generals free all other political prisoners, including NLD leader Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest in the capital.

 

The military has ruled the former Burma in various guises since 1962, ignoring a 1990 election victory by the NLD and keeping Noble laureate Suu Kyi confined for most of the past 15 years.

 

12/14/04 05:51 ET

 

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