I. Monk Protests Continue (News from PDC)
On September 26, the military junta committed the highest act of sacrilege by killing at least two monks (Student Monks Union claimed 5 in their verbal statement estimated 7) at the most holiest site of Buddhism in Burma, Shwedagon Pagoda.
Rangoon
About 30,000 monks and about 300,000 people took to the streets. The authorities closed off major pagodas which are becoming the rallying points of protesters. When the monks and nuns tried to enter these holy sites, riot police and soldiers beat them with truncheons, kicked the monks or nuns who fell down and roughly dragged them away onto trucks to prison. The religious flag was also trampled upon. Hundreds of monks and more numbers of laypersons and students were thrown into prison today. Tear gas bombs were thrown and a few rounds of gunfire were shot at the protesters. Chief sites of junta violence were at Shwedagon Pagoda, Sule Pagoda, Sanchaung, Ahlone and Shwegontaing. In Sanchaung, monks were rescued from riot-police arrest by ward residents who battled and drove them out. In anger, protesters at Shwegontaing also burned down four government-owned cars and five motorbikes owned by intelligence. In very early morning, junta security detained well-known comedian and one of coordinators of protest Zaganar and many other activists.
Mandalay Division
About 10,000 monks continued demonstrations at 1:00 PM in Mandalay. More than 100,000 people joined them.
In Kyaukbataung, 1500 monks, 200 nuns and 30,000 people demonstrated.
In Myingyan, 3000 monks and over 10,000 people demonstrated. (Twenty police
men also participated in yesterday's demonstrations.)
Magwe Division
In Pakokku, more than 2000 monks demonstrated joined by at least 100,000 people.
Sagaing Division
About 700 monks and 40,000 people demonstrated in Mon-ywa.
Arakan State
More than 4000 monks and 20,000 laypeople demonstrated in Akyab (Sittwe).
Kachin State
In very early morning, SPDC troops surrounded monasteries in Myitkyina and Bhamo and respectively took 132 monks and 108 monks into custody. Some of them were also beaten. Some of the NLD leaders and members were also arrested.
II. Junta’s Responses
BURMA'S military junta ordered troops and riot police to pagodas and Buddhist monasteries today to stop the mass protests that have marked the biggest challenge to the regime in 20 years.
A new round of arrests began today. The country's most famous comedian Zaganar, who had thrown his support behind the monks, was arrested at his home overnight, a friend told AFP.
The BBC also reported the arrest of U Win Naing, a prominent pro-democracy activist.
Amid mounting concern that Burma's military rulers are preparing to launch a bloody crackdown on the thousands who have defied warnings to end their pro-democracy demonstrations, Gordon Brown has threatened to impose tighter sanctions on Burma. As troops and armed police flooded into the centre of Rangoon yesterday, the Prime Minister asked the European Union to extend its sanctions against the regime. He ordered his officials to draw up a list of measures that Britain could impose unilaterally if the EU fails to act.
Burma's military police have attacked a crowd of around 700 anti-government protesters, including monks, with batons and tear gas near a pagoda in Rangoon.
III. Regional/International Responses
India, for the first time, has expressed concern over the ongoing Buddhist monk-led protests in Burma. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) today said, it is closely monitoring the situation in Burma and hopes all parties will resolve the problems through a meaningful dialogue. Mizzina News
The UN Security Council met over deadly clashes in Burma between anti-government protesters and the military junta.
Spain urged "maximum restraint" from Burmese authorities, with the foreign ministry warning in a statement that any extended crackdown "could have very serious consequences."
Singapore, which chairs the regional ASEAN bloc, said it was "deeply concerned" by the reports of clashes with the protestors and called for "utmost restraint."
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his country would not follow the US move in imposing economic sanctions because they "would have absolutely no impact."
Amnesty International said the UN Security Council must send a mission to Myanmar to head off violence.
Human Rights Watch called on Burma's allies, including China, Thailand, Russia and India, to urge the regime to address the non-violent protests.
Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said: "If the military government is going to listen to anyone, it will be countries with which it has close military and economic ties. Now is the time for these countries to show that they care about the health and welfare of the Burmese people."
Japan, a leading donor to Burma, was pressing the junta to "take a calm response" to the protests, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Wednesday, promising only to "carefully monitor developments."
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "We consider any attempts to use the latest developments to exercise outside pressure or interference in the domestic affairs of this sovereign state to be counterproductive."
The European Union began drawing up new sanctions against the Burmese regime, following a police and military crackdown on peaceful protests led by Buddhist monks in Rangoon.
Japan, a leading donor to Myanmar, warned it would continue to refrain from major aid projects and appealed for calm as the military regime clamped down on protests.
ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) parliamentarians from Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore condemn in a statement the actions of the junta and strongly urge them to initiate peaceful discussions with the monks as well as political and ethnic leaders to resolve the conflict. AIPMC also calls on ASEAN leaders to immediately intervene in the situation to prevent further untoward incidents in one of its member countries.
Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma) strongly condemns in a statement the SPDC's brutal crackdown against peaceful demonstrators and urges the UN Security Council (UNSC) to convene an emergency meeting to examine the deteriorating political situation in Burma.
The International Steering Committee (ISC) of the Community of Democracies in a statement calls upon the Government of Burma urgently to stop all attacks upon and arrests of protesters and respect the internationally recognized human and political rights of Burma citizens and to release Aung San Suu Kyi as well as all other political prisoners immediately.
On September 26, the military junta committed the highest act of sacrilege by killing at least two monks (Student Monks Union claimed 5 in their verbal statement estimated 7) at the most holiest site of Buddhism in Burma, Shwedagon Pagoda.
Rangoon
About 30,000 monks and about 300,000 people took to the streets. The authorities closed off major pagodas which are becoming the rallying points of protesters. When the monks and nuns tried to enter these holy sites, riot police and soldiers beat them with truncheons, kicked the monks or nuns who fell down and roughly dragged them away onto trucks to prison. The religious flag was also trampled upon. Hundreds of monks and more numbers of laypersons and students were thrown into prison today. Tear gas bombs were thrown and a few rounds of gunfire were shot at the protesters. Chief sites of junta violence were at Shwedagon Pagoda, Sule Pagoda, Sanchaung, Ahlone and Shwegontaing. In Sanchaung, monks were rescued from riot-police arrest by ward residents who battled and drove them out. In anger, protesters at Shwegontaing also burned down four government-owned cars and five motorbikes owned by intelligence. In very early morning, junta security detained well-known comedian and one of coordinators of protest Zaganar and many other activists.
Mandalay Division
About 10,000 monks continued demonstrations at 1:00 PM in Mandalay. More than 100,000 people joined them.
In Kyaukbataung, 1500 monks, 200 nuns and 30,000 people demonstrated.
In Myingyan, 3000 monks and over 10,000 people demonstrated. (Twenty police
men also participated in yesterday's demonstrations.)
Magwe Division
In Pakokku, more than 2000 monks demonstrated joined by at least 100,000 people.
Sagaing Division
About 700 monks and 40,000 people demonstrated in Mon-ywa.
Arakan State
More than 4000 monks and 20,000 laypeople demonstrated in Akyab (Sittwe).
Kachin State
In very early morning, SPDC troops surrounded monasteries in Myitkyina and Bhamo and respectively took 132 monks and 108 monks into custody. Some of them were also beaten. Some of the NLD leaders and members were also arrested.
II. Junta’s Responses
BURMA'S military junta ordered troops and riot police to pagodas and Buddhist monasteries today to stop the mass protests that have marked the biggest challenge to the regime in 20 years.
A new round of arrests began today. The country's most famous comedian Zaganar, who had thrown his support behind the monks, was arrested at his home overnight, a friend told AFP.
The BBC also reported the arrest of U Win Naing, a prominent pro-democracy activist.
Amid mounting concern that Burma's military rulers are preparing to launch a bloody crackdown on the thousands who have defied warnings to end their pro-democracy demonstrations, Gordon Brown has threatened to impose tighter sanctions on Burma. As troops and armed police flooded into the centre of Rangoon yesterday, the Prime Minister asked the European Union to extend its sanctions against the regime. He ordered his officials to draw up a list of measures that Britain could impose unilaterally if the EU fails to act.
Burma's military police have attacked a crowd of around 700 anti-government protesters, including monks, with batons and tear gas near a pagoda in Rangoon.
III. Regional/International Responses
India, for the first time, has expressed concern over the ongoing Buddhist monk-led protests in Burma. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) today said, it is closely monitoring the situation in Burma and hopes all parties will resolve the problems through a meaningful dialogue. Mizzina News
The UN Security Council met over deadly clashes in Burma between anti-government protesters and the military junta.
Spain urged "maximum restraint" from Burmese authorities, with the foreign ministry warning in a statement that any extended crackdown "could have very serious consequences."
Singapore, which chairs the regional ASEAN bloc, said it was "deeply concerned" by the reports of clashes with the protestors and called for "utmost restraint."
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his country would not follow the US move in imposing economic sanctions because they "would have absolutely no impact."
Amnesty International said the UN Security Council must send a mission to Myanmar to head off violence.
Human Rights Watch called on Burma's allies, including China, Thailand, Russia and India, to urge the regime to address the non-violent protests.
Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said: "If the military government is going to listen to anyone, it will be countries with which it has close military and economic ties. Now is the time for these countries to show that they care about the health and welfare of the Burmese people."
Japan, a leading donor to Burma, was pressing the junta to "take a calm response" to the protests, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Wednesday, promising only to "carefully monitor developments."
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "We consider any attempts to use the latest developments to exercise outside pressure or interference in the domestic affairs of this sovereign state to be counterproductive."
The European Union began drawing up new sanctions against the Burmese regime, following a police and military crackdown on peaceful protests led by Buddhist monks in Rangoon.
Japan, a leading donor to Myanmar, warned it would continue to refrain from major aid projects and appealed for calm as the military regime clamped down on protests.
ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) parliamentarians from Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore condemn in a statement the actions of the junta and strongly urge them to initiate peaceful discussions with the monks as well as political and ethnic leaders to resolve the conflict. AIPMC also calls on ASEAN leaders to immediately intervene in the situation to prevent further untoward incidents in one of its member countries.
Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma) strongly condemns in a statement the SPDC's brutal crackdown against peaceful demonstrators and urges the UN Security Council (UNSC) to convene an emergency meeting to examine the deteriorating political situation in Burma.
The International Steering Committee (ISC) of the Community of Democracies in a statement calls upon the Government of Burma urgently to stop all attacks upon and arrests of protesters and respect the internationally recognized human and political rights of Burma citizens and to release Aung San Suu Kyi as well as all other political prisoners immediately.
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