Traveling Monks Face Difficulties

Kaowao: October 19, 2007

Since being forced to return their hometowns by SPDC forces many monks around the country have found it very difficult to move freely, as police search and interrogate them thoroughly at each check point.

This has led to complaints from vendors in charge of cars and trains, as the interrogations are problematic both for monks and other passengers; they cause conflict and delay trips. Monks from Mon state and Pa-An township of Karen State have found travel outside their hometowns near impossible.

According to one monk from Lamine Township, Mon State, “Last week when I came to Moulmein, I was asked a lot of questions by checkpoint police, so I think now that car drivers are not willing to take the monks in their vehicles. Whenever a monk travels in their car they have to clarify questions and are investigated by checkpoint police.”

“After the monks finished their studies in Mawlamyine they obtained traveling documents from their abbots. However, when they crossed the Thanbyu Zayat checkpoint, police questioned them, threatened them and forced them to go back to their home town,” he added.

Another monk told Kaowao that, “After the monk led demonstration, the SPDC marked us all as their enemies so when monks traveling by car now the police are looking at us as their enemies. They can threaten us and make things very difficult, but they cannot ask for money from us.”

In Ye Township; government authorities ordered every monastery to cease any guest monk accommodation. One monk who was fleeing to Ye Township was without shelter initially, but was able to track down his donor and sleep one night there.

“Most of the Mon monasteries in Ye Township dare not allow monks to sleep in their monasteries now, so when night falls monks have to go to their donor’s house and sleep there,” said the monk.