Three Rangoon Monks Arrive in Mae Sot

Irrawaddy

By Saw Yan Naing
October 5, 2007

Three monks who marched in the Rangoon pro-democracy demonstrations arrived in Mae Sot on the Thai border on Monday, in fear over the nighttime raids on monasteries.

The monks, who were living in Maharwiseikta Monastery in Mayangone Township in Rangoon, said security forces raided monasteries anytime from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., beating many monks during the raids.

A monk, Nandar Theri, 39, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that Rangoon monks who were involved in the pro-democracy protests are living in fear.

Overnight raids on monasteries began on September 26, the day military troops started their crack down on peaceful protesters.

“They [soldiers] threw tear gas into the crowds, and people ran away in different directions," said the monk, who participated in protests in Rangoon for three days.

“In the afternoon, they opened fire on the crowds and beat the protesters in the Tamwe and Pansodan areas. Some people were killed,” he said.

Meanwhile, five monasteries in South and North Okkalapa Townships in Rangoon were raided overnight on Wednesday and about 36 monks were arrested.

Many monks in Rangoon, Mandalay and Sittwe in Arakan State have been ordered by local authorities to return to their homes. In some Rangoon monasteries, only senior monks and a few junior monks remain.

Dissidents estimate there are 1,200 monks detained in Insein Prison, the Government Technology Institute and Kyaikkasan Stadium in Rangoon. Many monasteries in Rangoon remain locked up, and monks are unable to go out outside, say Rangoon residents.