Around 300 pro-democracy Burmese activists held aloft placards and shouted a slogan "Free! Free! – Freedom fighters, we want – Justice, we need - Human Rights" near Jantar Manta near the Parliament in Connaught place, New Delhi.   

Mr. Kim, coordinator of the Shwe Gas Pipeline Committee (India) said, "We have gathered here to send a message to the Indian government that the detained Burmese are not terrorists, gun runners but were fighting to restore democracy, justice and human rights in Burma".

Meanwhile, the 34 detained Burmese demanding proper trial and justice staged a hunger strike in Presidency jail in Kolkatta in West Bengal yesterday.

India based Burmese democracy activists today called on Dr. Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India to release the detained Burmese fighters and to punish the guilty intelligence officers in accordance with India law.

Indian security forces killed six freedom fighters and jailed 36 in Landfall Islands, Andaman in an operation called Leech in 1998.

The arrested Burmese fighters are from Karen National Union (KNU) and National United Party of Arakan (NUPA), Burmese ethnic armed groups fighting the Burmese military regime.

In 2004, six years after the Burmese freedom fighters were jailed in Andaman Island, the India government shifted the detained 34 Burmese fighters to Presidency jail in Alipur in Kolkatta after Indian human rights activists appealed to the central government for a proper trail for the prisoners.

Two of the prisoners went missing during the detention in Andaman Island.

Ms Nandita Haksar who had been handling the case of the Burmese prisoners since 1999 said that the detainees have not received proper trial during 10 years in jail. Moreover, the prisoners were said to have been treated badly by the authorities in jail.

Confronting the government through legal means seems to be failing; Ms Haskar said and added that the help of the UNHCR is the only option possibly left to free the prisoners from jail.

India based Burmese democracy activists in their letter also urged Ms Carol Bachelor, UNHCR's Chief of Mission in New Delhi, to recognize the freedom fighters as refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR.

Burmese democracy forces hope that giving refugee status to prisoners will prevent any attempt by the Indian government to deport them and will ensure they are treated in line with political prisoners.

However, Ms Haksar said that UNHCR is reluctant to assist the prisoners because of their involvement in an armed movement.

Mr. Sandeep, president of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students Union urged the India government to review its policy of double standards in dealing with Burma and urged the government to free all Burmese political prisoners in India jail. – Khonumthung.