Monks arrested, tear gassed at Myanmar pagoda: ( Archived) (37)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations expressed ``revulsion'' at the violence in Myanmar and told the junta ``to exercise utmost restraint and seek a political solution.'' Demonstrations against the junta were seen in Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and elsewhere.

Southeast Asian envoys were told by Myanmar authorities Friday that a no-go zone had been declared around five key Buddhist monasteries, one diplomat said, raising fears of a repeat of 1988, when troops gunned down thousands of peaceful demonstrators and imprisoned the survivors.

Gates were locked and key intersections near monasteries in Yangon and the second-largest city of Mandalay were sealed off with barbed wire, and there was no sign of monks in the streets.

``We were told security forces had the monks under control'' and will now turn their attention to civilian protesters, the Asian diplomat said on condition of anonymity, citing protocol.

The government's apparent decision to cut public Internet access - which has played a crucial role in getting news and images of the pro-democracy protests to the outside world - also raised concerns.

Thursday was the most violent day in more than a month of protests - which at their height have brought an estimated 70,000 demonstrators to the streets. Bloody sandals lay scattered on some streets as protesters fled shouting ``Give us freedom, give us freedom!''

Truckloads of troops in riot gear raided Buddhist monasteries on the outskirts of Yangon, beating and arresting dozens of monks, witnesses and Western diplomats said.

``I really hate the government. They arrest the monks while they are sleeping,'' said a 30-year-old service worker who saw some of the confrontations from his workplace. ``These monks haven't done anything except meditating and praying and helping people.''

The United Nations' special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, was heading to the country to promote a political solution and could arrive as early as Saturday, one Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Though some analysts said negotiations were unlikely, the diplomat said the decision to let Gambari in ``means they may see a role for him and the United Nations in mediating dialogue with the opposition and its leaders.''

The protesters won support from countrymen abroad as more than 2,000 Myanmar immigrants rallied peacefully in Malaysia and smaller demonstrations against the junta took place in Thailand, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.

China, Myanmar's largest trading partner, for months quietly counseled the regime to speed up long-stalled political reforms. Some analysts say Beijing would hate to be viewed as party to a bloodbath as it prepares for the 2008 Olympics.

``China hopes that all parties in Myanmar exercise restraint and properly handle the current issue so as to ensure the situation there does not escalate and get complicated,'' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in Beijing Thursday.

But every other time the regime has been challenged, it has responded with force.

``Judging from the nature and habit of the Myanmar military, they will not allow the monks or activists to topple them,'' said Chaiyachoke Julsiriwong, a Myanmar scholar at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

No idea Gilly but I hope China will put pressure on them - the Chinese want good publicity cos of the Olympics next year and China do lots of trade with that counrty - i just dont know but last time they massacred 3000 or so people

Thought that in the light of things happening I would bring this one back up.

There are fears that thousands of these peace loving monks have been massecred

the latest news i could find just now is from monday as the authorities have closed most avenues of communication;

From the BBC

Thousands of monks detained in Burma's main city of Rangoon will be sent to prisons in the far north of the country, sources have told the BBC.
About 4,000 monks have been rounded up in the past week as the military government has tried to stamp out pro-democracy protests.

They are being held at a disused race course and a technical college.

Sources from a government-sponsored militia said they would soon be moved away from Rangoon.

The monks have been disrobed and shackled, the sources told BBC radio's Burmese service. There are reports that the monks are refusing to eat.

The country has seen almost two weeks of sustained popular unrest, in the most serious challenge to the military leadership for more than two decades.

Their eyes are on the international community, their only hope is that the world will see their plight and help them


The authorities said 10 people were killed as the protests were dispersed, though diplomats and activists say the number of dead was many times higher.

The banned opposition broadcaster Democratic Voice of Burma has issued a picture which they say shows the body of a monk floating near the mouth of the Rangoon river.

Last week several monasteries were raided, and there were reports of monks being beaten and killed.

With many monks behind bars, the demonstrations have now died down.

On Monday, the centre of Rangoon was almost back to normal, a reporter, who cannot be identified for security reasons, told the BBC.

Most shops and temples have reopened and people appear to be getting on with their lives. But there seemed to be a group of soldiers around every corner, and very few monks about, the reporter said.

This is notable in a city where monks can usually be spotted going in and out of temples, shopping at street stalls and chatting in tea shops.


Monks were reportedly killed (Image: Democratic Voice of Burma)

The atmosphere in Rangoon is tense, the reporter said. Local people are well aware that the monks have been locked away and are afraid that they will be next.

The crackdown, in which unarmed protesters were beaten, tear-gassed, and shot at, has attracted condemnation from abroad, and even from Burma's neighbours in the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).

bump - for Galactic Bodhi et al