Monks expelled from Sangha University

Irrawaddy
Wai Moe
Mon 17 Dec 2007

Twenty five monks from a Rangoon Buddhist university, including a number of junior tutors, have been expelled from the campus, according to reliable sources.

The authorities told the expelled monks to leave the campus of Kaba Aye Sangha University and return to their home monasteries, the sources said on Monday. The monks were told they were being expelled because of their participation in the September demonstrations.

Ninety six monks arrested during and after the demonstrations were released from custody on Friday. Half were from Nywekyaryan Monastery, in South Okkalapa, Rangoon. including the abbot, U Yeveda.

UN Human Rights Rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro visited Nywekyaryan Monastery during his November trip to Burma and reported that he found it empty of monks.

The Nywekyaryan Monastery was raided by security forces on September 26, and all the monks were arrested. Many were beaten and abused.

A school run by the monastery for children from poor families, the Pyanya Dana School, had to close because of the raid.

Nywekyaryan’s deputy abbot, U Ottama, was released from custody on December 14 and returned to the monastery.

The monks freed on Friday had been held at the Kaba Aye detention centre. Others are still imprisoned in Rangoon’s Insein Prison. Some, including a leading monk in the uprising, U Gambira, have been charged with high treason, said a Rangoon monk.