Buddhist Monks in Western Myanmar March to Commemorate Anniversary of Army Crackdown

September 27, 2008

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.startribune.com/world/29839674.html?elr=KArks:DCiUBcy7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

About 100 Buddhist monks in a western Myanmar city staged a peaceful protest march Saturday to mark the anniversary of last year's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Meanwhile, in the country's biggest city, Yangon, recently released political prisoners helped celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the party led by detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, while police and other security personnel kept a close watch.

No protests directly related to the crackdown anniversary were noted in Yangon, where last year's demonstrations attracted up to 100,000 people. The junta put down the protests with force, killing at least 31 people and detaining thousands.

But in the western port city of Sittwe, about 100 Buddhist monks marched peacefully in a heavy rain for about 30 minutes, according to witnesses who asked not to be named for fear of being harassed by the authorities.

The monks' march took the form of their morning round of begging for alms, but it is widely understood that such a large number of monks marching in an organized fashion represents a veiled protest.