Burmese Protests to Take on a New Sound

Irrawaddy
By Yeni
August 30, 2007

Burmese households are being urged in an anti-regime pamphlet campaign to protest noisily on three evenings in September by banging pots and pans.

Other pamphlets in circulation in Rangoon are urging a revival of the historic student union and calling for a “people’s power movement,” similar to the one in 1988 that led to the downfall of the previous regime.

Leaflets obtained by The Irrawaddy call on households to create a din on the evenings of September 11, 12 and 13 by banging pots, pans and other metal items. The action will have a mystical as well as a political purpose—“The time has now come to drive away evil from your homes by creating a din by beating any products made with tin, metal and steel,” the pamphlet says.

The noisy demonstrations should be timed for 7:02 p.m., 8:01 p.m. and 9 p.m., the pamphlet directs. The digits of the three separate times add up to nine, a number given mystic importance by Burma’s ruling elite.

Among the bad influences to be dispersed by the noise campaign, says the pamphlet, are: “natural disasters [flooding throughout the country], economic decline, arbitrary detentions, the greedy ruling government oppressing their people, the people in helpless situation, disunity among the people due to the evil spirits, thugs beating good citizens, scarcity of food and needy materials among Buddhist monks, other religious people being oppressed and the evils living at Naypyidaw."

The campaign is thought likely to attract a lot of support because of its anonymous, after-dark nature, but also on account of its astrological context. Sources told The Irrawaddy that the “pots and pans appeal” was being distributed by mobile phone, email and internet Web sites.

Astrology and superstition are part of everyday life in Burma, where the prophesies of fortune-tellers are followed by virtually every family—particularly by military leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his wife Kyaing Kyaing. One of their favorite "advisers" is E Thi— also known as ET—a woman with a speech impediment that only her sister can interpret.

The activity of banging pots and pans occurred when former president Sein Liwn—who became known as the ''Butcher of Rangoon'' for his order to open fire on democracy demonstrators—was resigned in August 1988.

Junta Urges Monks Not to Protest

Irrawaddy
By Aye Lae
August 27, 2007


Burma’s military leaders have been trying to persuade monks in Mandalay not to take part in protests that began last week in response to a sharp rise in fuel and commodity prices, according to local monks.

Maj-Gen Khin Zaw, commander of Mandalay Division, requested abbots of several monasteries in Mandalay not to join protesters, according to War So Sayadaw, the abbot of War So Monastery.

The abbot told The Irrawaddy that military authorities came to his monastery and requested that monks and novices don’t take part in any demonstrations. The abbots usually hold considerable influence with junior monks and novices.

So far, monks have not participated in the sporadic demonstrations that began in major cities across Burma on August 19. During the nationwide pro-democracy uprising in 1988, monks played a major role in the demonstrations.

U Kavarinda, the abbot of Ma Soe Yein Monastery in Mandalay, said authorities made the same request of him.

“If the public demonstrates, we will support them until they reach their goal,” U Kavarinda told The Irrawaddy by phone from Mandalay on Monday. “We are also supporting current demonstrations in Rangoon. They are demanding their own rights.”

Since last week, small groups of protesters led by the 88 Generation Students group and some members of the opposition National League for Democracy have staged demonstrations against the steep increase in fuel and commodity prices in Rangoon and other cities.

In 1988 when the military regime launched a heavy crackdown on the nationwide uprising, more than 3,000 protesters are believed to have been killed—among them, many monks and novices.

Following the government’s crackdown on monasteries, monks across Burma refused to accept alms from military leaders. Hundreds of monks and young novices who participated in the movement were later arrested and given lengthy prison terms.

Mandalay residents say that some of the city’s monasteries have been under surveillance by pro-government civilian groups such as the Union Solidarity and Development Association.

Security forces have also been tightened around monasteries in Rangoon, according to residents in the former capital.

Many monasteries in Rangoon and elsewhere served as rallying points during the 1988 pro-democracy uprising.

Junta Cracks Down as Rangoon Protests Spread

By The Irrawaddy
August 23, 2007


Demonstrations in Burma over sharp rises in fuel and commodity prices continued on Thursday in several townships of Rangoon and in Magwe Division in central Burma, with some participants suffering beatings and detention by authorities and pro-government mobs, according to witnesses.

About 40 demonstrators— some of them members of the opposition National League for Democracy— marched peacefully to their party headquarters in Shwegondine in Rangoon’s Bahan Township Thursday morning.

The group was eventually broken up by authorities and a pro-government civilian mob, which assaulted several of the protesters, witnesses told The Irrawaddy by phone from the site of the demonstration.

The witnesses said most of the protesters in Bahan Township were later forced into trucks by the violent mob and taken to an unknown location. Among those detained was Myo Khin, the chairman of the Yankin Township’s NLD office.

Protesters taken away in the trucks were believed to have been hold only briefly before being released. Other demonstrators arrested on Wednesday were also released.

Moe Kyaw, one of the protesters in Bahan, told The Irrawaddy that many bystanders expressed their support for the demonstration as participants marched passed.

“They gave us water and snacks and said they support our protest,” said Moe Kyaw after the demonstration was broken up.

“The authorities were rude,” Moe Kyaw added. “They even removed the sarong of a woman protester while forcing her into one of the trucks.”

The Associated Press reported on Thursday that authorities were ordering bystanders—including reporters—to leave the areas of the demonstrations, and that some reporters were shouted at and physically forced to leave by security officials.

During on protest in Rangoon’s South Dagon, a group of three dozen activists on Thursday were attacked by a pro-government mob wielding bamboo sticks.

Several of the female activists were assaulted and at least three of the protesters were later forced into trucks and taken away, the witness said.

Myint Thein, a spokesperson for the NLD, said the mob in South Dagon Township was led by the chairman of the local Peace and Development Council.

Meanwhile, a group of about 50 demonstrators peacefully marched for more than an hour in Yenanchaung Township in Magwe Division, central Burma. One protester, NLD member Khin Saw Htay, said the protest ended peacefully without attacks or arrests, but that security in the area had been stepped up.

Prior to this week’s protests, authorities on Tuesday arrested 13 prominent members of the 88 Generation Students Group, including well-known activist Min Ko Naing. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.

“Though our leaders have been arrested, we will continue with our movement. We will not fear any arrest or threat,” Mi Mi, a member of the 88 Generation Students, told The Associated Press during Thursday morning’s march.

The NLD issued a statement on Thursday warning the government to put an immediate end to violent attacks, threats and arrests of protesters, who were peacefully expressing their discontent over the difficulties of their daily life.

The NLD also said the present issues of the country can’t be solved one-sidedly by the authorities, but that solutions should be sought collectively by all parties concerned.

Protesters in Rangoon said they will continue to stage more demonstrations in the former capital and in other cities such as Mandalay and Taunggyi. Local residents in Taunggyi, Shan State, said that local authorities increased security after a group of students from Taunggyi University had gathered to stage a protest.

Sources in Taunggyi said police officers and plainclothes authorities have been spotted throughout the city and throughout the downtown area. Security officials have also been posted at gas stations. A curfew has also been imposed that prohibits residents from going outdoors after 9:30 p.m.

The military commander of Rangoon Division has also reportedly told senior staff in some government departments on Thursday that civil servants must not take part in any of the protests.

Junta Arrests Prominent Activists

Irrawaddy
By Shah Paung
August 22, 2007

Burmese authorities have arrested at least 13 prominent activists of the 88 Students Generation group, including leaders who staged a recent protest against massive fuel-price hikes, the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported on Wednesday.

The arrests came two days after the group led more than 400 people in a Rangoon protest march against the fuel prices, which took effect on August 15.

The New Light of Myanmar said that those arrested were accused of “breaking the law guarding against acts undermining the efforts to successfully carry out peaceful transfer of State power and facilitate the proceedings of the National Convention.”

Among those arrested were prominent activists Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Win Aung, Min Zeya, Mya Aye and Kyaw Min Yu. Others included Zeya, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, Arnt Bwe Kyaw, Panneik Tun, Zaw Zaw Min, Thet Zaw and Nyan Lin Tun.

Members of the 88 Generation Students were at the forefront of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising and many served lengthy prison terms and torture.

According to Zaw Naing Htway, brother of Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, the authorities come to their house around 10 p.m. on Tuesday and arrested his brother. They returned with police around 1 a.m and seized a computer, CDs and documents. The authorities gave no reason for the arrest.

Htay Kywe, a leader of the 88 Students Generation group now in hiding, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday morning: “These arrests are political violence by the government, and they won’t help solve the current problems but only lead to more.”

According to the Washington-based activist group, the US Campaign for Burma, five university students and three members of another activist group were also arrested in separate sweeps by the authorities. There was no confirmation of this in the official media.

Security has been stepped up in and around Rangoon, including in the area of the headquarters of the opposition National League for Democracy, sources said. Security was also reportedly tight in Mandalay.

Tension was reported to be high at schools and universities, the traditional centers of protest, with some parents saying they would not send their children to school on Wednesday in light of the rumors, circulating in Rangoon, that a nationwide protest against the fuel hikes would be staged Wednesday.

The Rangoon-based Myanmar Development Committee has announced it will hold a demonstration against rising commodity prices at Rangoon City Hall on Wednesday.

A key leader of the MDC, Htin Kyaw, has been in hiding. A member of his group was arrested last night but released two hours later, according to sources.

Burma's Activists March against Fuel Price Hike

By The Associated Press
August 20, 2007

More than 400 people led by prominent pro-democracy activists staged a rare protest in Rangoon Sunday, marching against a massive recent fuel price hike, activists told The Associated Press.

"We are staging this performance to reflect the hardship our people are facing due to the government's fuel price hike," said Min Ko Naing, a leader of the 88 Generation Students' Group.

Burma's ruling junta imposed a surprise 100 percent hike on fuel at state-owned gas stations on Wednesday. The move was followed by increases in bus fares and commodity prices.

The government did not give reasons for the increase.

The march began with about 100 people led by former student activists of the 88 Generation Students' Group moving along a major road in north Rangoon. The crowd swelled to more than 400 marchers as bystanders joined in and then all dispersed after covering about 9 kilometers (5 miles).

The protesters did not shout slogans or hold up placards.

"Some cars stopped and those inside clapped their hands when they knew that we were staging this performance in protest against the fuel price hike," said Min Ko Naing.

Authorities watched and videotaped the event, but did not interfere with the protest.

The 88 Generation Students' Group includes former student leaders who were active in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising against the military. Many of them have served long prison terms.

The government, which holds a monopoly on fuel sales and subsidizes them, raised prices of fuel from 1,500 kyats (US $1.16) to 3,000 kyats ($2.33) per imperial gallon for diesel and to 2,500 kyats ($1.94) for gasoline.

A canister of natural gas containing 65 liters (17 gallons) was raised from 500 kyats (39 US cents) to 2,500 kyats ($1.94).

The hike immediately affected commuters who use public transport as bus fares have increased along with those of basic consumer products.

On Wednesday, some workers at a garment factory in Rangoon demanded salary raises to meet the spiraling transportation and food prices.

Another group of activists have also said they would stage a protest against the fuel price hike if the government fails to scrap it within a week.