Yangon, Myanmar - Myanmar's military regime, which arrested 40 Buddhist worshippers earlier this week, has accused followers of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi of using religion as a pretext to incite unrest, the state-run media said Thursday.
The 40 were arrested in two separate incidents for marching in processions to pagodas to pray for the release of Suu Kyi, whose official detention period is set to expire May 27, the New Light of Myanmar said.
The processions, which continued Thursday, have been called for every day until May 27.
"These people are trying to politicize a normal event and ignite unrest by visiting pagodas and marching in procession, praying for the release of political prisoners," the newspaper said.
The paper added that "those including Daw Suu Kyi who were under restrictions were detained for attempting to disrupt peace and tranquility and cause unrest in the country."
Suu Kyi, head of the National League for Democracy party, has been held continuously since May 30, 2003, when her motorcade was attacked by a pro-junta mob during a political tour of northern Myanmar.
Her latest official detention period is set to expire on May 27, when it is likely to be renewed again. In all, she has spent more than 11 of the last 17 years in detention.
A group of 15 of her supporters who had gone to pray for Suu Kyi's release were detained for three hours Wednesday morning.
Two groups totaling some 40 supporters, many of them wearing T-shirts with Suu Kyi's photograph, were arrested in Hlaingtharyar, a northern Yangon suburb Tuesday and are still being held.
Suu Kyi's party won a 1990 general election, but the junta, which seized power in 1988, refused to recognize the result, and instead has continued to persecute members of the country's pro-democracy movement.