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Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Burma Partnership is pleased to announce that we have launched our new website. We hope it will be a useful tool for governments, journalists, researchers, and especially activists from Burma and all over the world.

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In Solidarity,

Burma Partnership Secretariat

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Burma Update: September 20, 2007

I. Month Protests Day III (News from Irrawaddy, Mizzama and DVB)

Monywa, Sagaing Divison (September 20) – About 500 monks from three monasteries marched to Sutuangpyit and Shwezigon pagodas and chanted the “Metta Sutta” (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness) during the march. Crowds turned out to support the monks by offering drinking water.

Rangoon (September 20) - About 1,000 monks gathered at Shwedagon Pagoda and then marched to Sule Pagoda in downtown Rangoon carrying religious flags and alms turned upside down, symbolizing the alms boycott against the military government and its supporters. Onlookers protected monks by joining their hands as a human chain.

Kyeemyindine, Rangoon (September 20) - More than 300 monks from Ma Soe Yein Monastery in Kyeemyindine Township marched to Shwedagon Pagoda at 12 noon. The demonstrating monks arrived at Shwedagon Pagoda in the rain to find that the authorities had closed the gates. The monks were subsequently refused entry to the pagoda.

Rangoon (September 20) - Hundreds of Buddhist monks from Pegu tried on Thursday morning to travel to Rangoon to join protesting monks in the former capital, but the carriage in which they were traveling was unhitched by the authorities at Toe Kyaung Lay, the last station before Rangoon. Undeterred, the monks set out to walk the remaining few miles from the suburb to Rangoon, where they planned to join Rangoon monks at Shwedagon pagoda.

North Dagon, Rangoon (September 20) - At least 250 monks from Myingyan Buddhist monastery in Rangoon's North Dagon Division staged a protest rally this morning. Onlookers donated money to the monks after first seeking permission.

South Dagon, Rangoon (September 20) - about 200 monks from South Dagon’s Nikal Ngar Yat monastery, which is sponsored by the wife of junta leader senior general Than Shwe, staged a protest against the government early this morning. The monks reportedly marched to the nearby Aung Bawdi pagoda with their alms bowls upside down, to indicate that they would not be accepting any donations.


II. International Response

The Asian Human Rights Commission (September 20) - AHRC appeals for global Buddhist boycott of Burma regime "We urge the honourable members of the Sangha (Buddhist community) everywhere to follow the example set by their counterparts in Burma and formally declare that they will not accept alms from representatives of the military government, including staff of Burmese embassies and consulates, or persons directly associated with it."
(http://www.ahrchk.net/pr/mainfile.php/2007mr/479/)


III. UNSC and Burma

Gambari to brief Security Council (September 20) – Mizzama News
Amid a growing chorus of appeals for the United Nations Security Council to take action over Burma, the Security Council is preparing to hear a report from the Special Advisor on Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, today.

Gambari, who gave a carefully worded press conference on September 5th in defense of the United Nations current strategy regarding Burma, is expected to follow-up on the results of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's consultative process with leaders from around the world.
(http://mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/76-Sep-2007.html)

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