Shan Monk nabbed for rapping regime

Authorities in Mongton, opposite Chiangmai, have taken a revered Shan monk after he recently made a remark in criticism of the Burma Army's violent handling of last month's anti-junta protests led by monks, according to sources coming to the border.


No.07 - 10/2007
15 October 2007
Human Rights


Authorities in Mongton, opposite Chiangmai, have taken a revered Shan monk after he recently made a remark in criticism of the Burma Army's violent handling of last month's anti-junta protests led by monks, according to sources coming to the border.

Reverend Sorinda of the Tripitaka Monastery, 50, was visited by a troop of soldiers from Infantry Battalion 225 on 1 October following his criticism. "The exact words he was supposed to have spoken were not clear," said a source, "and we don't know who had reported to the authorities on him. We only know that he, like most of us, was very upset about the killings in Rangoon."

The monk, a native of Maeken, some 12 miles south of Mongton, has been locked up at the town's police station. Town elders have appealed to the authorities for his release, but were told they had to wait for the return of the area commander, who is still out of town on army business.

Novices and monks traveling to Mongton from southern Shan State are also either being stranded at the Tasang crossing on the Salween, between Mongton on the east bank and Mongpan on the west bank, or sent bank to Mongpan.

Movements of monks have been greatly restricted since the violent suppression of the peaceful demonstrations against abrupt fuel price hike by the military government last month.