Burma: Peaceful Protest Gives Way to Violence

By Luis Ramirez
Bangkok
26 September 2007

Peaceful Protest in Burma Gives Way to Violence

Witnesses in the Burmese city of Rangoon say there has been a confrontation between the monks and security forces Wednesday after the monks defied orders to halt their protests against the military government.

Burma's government warned people against further protests and deployed truckloads of soldiers armed with assault weapons to monasteries and pagodas around Rangoon. But witnesses say that did not stop Buddhist monks and others from venturing out in large groups Wednesday.

Witnesses say police pushed back monks trying to enter the Shwedagon Pagoda where the demonstrations have focused. Reports from the scene say security forces fired tear gas and beat back demonstrators with batons.

The army has yet to launch an all-out attack on the protesting monks since demonstrations began last month, but observers say a crackdown appears imminent. Opposition member Sann Aung - exiled in Thailand - tells VOA that in the last major uprising, in 1988 the government waited for 45 days before smashing the protests.

"The military regime shows no signs (it wants) to compromise and to response to the request of the Buddhist monks. So another way, if they do not response, they have to crack down on the Buddhist monks," Sang Aung said.

The monks demand an apology for the beating and arrests of monks three weeks ago. They also call for a rollback of steep fuel price increases, and negotiations with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who reports say has been moved from house arrest to a prison.

ENDS

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