Junta continues crackdown on monks overnight

Independent Mon News Agency: September 29, 2007

The Burmese military junta continued to crackdown on monks involved in the protests overnight, while the regime controlled MRTV said stability had been restored in Rangoon (Yangon).

The army raided monasteries in Tharketa last night and residents said many monks were arrested.

"From what I know the troops have been cracking down on monks from one quarter to another each night," a resident in South Okkalapa.

"We have to patrol all night to avoid being arrested. Many monks are fleeing to evade arrest. They dare not sleep inside the temples," a monk in Rangoon said.

Many people sleep in the temple. At least two temples were raided by troops last night.

"They came in to temple and started beating up monks. They don't care whether one is involved in the protest or not. They just beat you," a monk said.

Last night the riot police raided the 108 Monastery in Tharketa. No monks were arrested because they had avoided sleeping in the monastery. But they (troops) searched everything and looted about two million Kyats kept in the temple.

"The protests have weakened because troops have locked the temples preventing monks from going out. Now there are fewer monks involved in the protests," a resident said.

Every temple is under close watch and the troops that raiding the temples do not understand the Burmese language because they are from Kachin State.

In southern Burma and Pegu (Bago) monks were forced to go home and protests stopped.