Over 200 Burmese staged a peaceful demonstration outside their embassy along Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, protesting recent arrests of a dozen dissidents by the military junta.

The protesters, comprising activists and refugees, called for the release of 13 student leaders who were arrested on Tuesday, for protesting a newly imposed fuel hike.

On Tuesday, over 100 people staged a march in Rangoon to protest a 500 percent increase in the price of compressed natural gas.

Among those arrested was Min Ko Naing, reportedly Burma's most prominent political figure, after Nobel laureate Aun San Suu Kyi. Min's 88 Generation Students Group led Tuesday's march.

The protest in Kuala Lumpur saw banners calling for the release of Min, student leaders as well as Suu Kyi who has been under house arrest for the past 17 years.

"The history of our struggle is not understood by the world. The world does not know those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. They are our heroes," sang the Burmese before handing over a memorandum to embassy officials. Over 50 police personnel monitored the half-hour protest.

'We are very concerned'

The memorandum, by Democratic Federation of Burma (DFB), also called the junta to "cease all human rights abuses and atrocities" against ethnic minorities such as the Rohingyas, Karens, Karennis, Mons, Chins and Shans.

The DFB is an ad hoc umbrella body representing 11 groups in Malaysia, including the exiled elected parties, the National League for Democracy (LDA) and the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR).

Party leaders were either arrested or fled the country during a 1988 crackdown by the military.

"The Burmese here are very concerned about the arrests. This is a very brutal act by the military regime," said DFB spokesperson Mohammad Sadek when contacted.

"We hope the Malaysian government can put pressure through Asean. There must be constructive engagement, not silence. Millions of people are suffering," he added.

Burma, formerly the world's biggest rice exporter, is Asia's poorest country. This September 18 marks the 45th anniversary of military rule in the country.