YANGON (AFP) — Soldiers fired warning shots in the air to break up hundreds of Buddhist monks protesting in central Myanmar against a massive hike in fuel prices, media reports and a resident said Thursday.

The incident is believed to be the first time that uniformed soldiers have been sent out to quell the anti-government protests that have erupted around this military-ruled nation since August 19.

The three-hour protest Wednesday in the central town of Pakokku, about 310 miles (500 kilometres) north of Yangon, was led by at least 300 Buddhist monks who prayed near the town's market, a resident told AFP by telephone.

"We heard the monks were just praying for the people," the resident said, adding she was too afraid to attend the protest herself, but that neighbours said soldiers had fired shots in the air and then began beating the crowd.

News services operated by exiled Myanmar dissidents said that the soldiers beat the monks with bamboo sticks, and also beat some of the thousands of people who had gathered to watch the protest.

At least 10 young monks were arrested, according to the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), a news service run by exiles.

"They were just walking in a line with four or five monks walking side by side at a time, which is the way they usually travel when they are collecting alms," one eyewitness told DVB.

"They were chanting 'metta' and wishing for everyone to be free from the oppression of others," the eyewitness said, referring to the Buddhist concept of loving kindness.

According to Amnesty International more than 150 people have been detained in Myanmar since August 19, when activists began protests against a staggering hike in fuel prices that left some people unable to afford even bus fare.

The junta's crackdown on the dissent has sparked an international outcry. US President George W. Bush has blasted the clampdown as "tyrannical" and called for the release of the prisoners.

Ibrahim Gambari, the UN pointman in efforts to promote national reconciliation in Myanmar, warned Wednesday that the crackdown made it "more difficult to maintain international support for engagement with Myanmar."

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DVB - Thursday, September 5, 2007

Soldiers fire warning rounds at Pakokku monks

Sep 05, 2007 (DVB)—Armed Burmese soldiers fired warning shots into the air in Pakokku this morning in a violent bid to stop 600 Buddhist monks staging a protest over the poor economic conditions in the country.

The monks had started a protest march from a monastery on the west side of Pakokku. As they walked through the town, they were reportedly cheered on by more than 10,000 bystanders who had turned out to watch the demonstration.

“They were just walking in a line with four or five monks walking side by side at a time, which is the way they usually travel when they are collecting alms,” one eyewitness said.

“They were chanting metta and wishing for everyone to be free from the oppression of others,” the eyewitness said.

A monk who participated in the protest told DVB that members of his monastery were struggling financially with many unable to afford the 50-kyat razors they needed to keep their heads shaved.

“We can’t sit back and watch the people who sponsor us sink into poverty. Their poverty is our poverty as well,” the monk said.

As the large group of monks reached Pakokku’s Middle School (3), they were confronted by two Burmese military platoons and two unmarked vehicles. In an attempt to disperse the monks, the soldiers fired warning shots into the air.

“The fired about 10 or 15 bullets before they started to drag away the monks and beat up bystanders with bamboos sticks,” one bystander said.

“The soldiers were in full uniforms . . . Now they are clearing up slippers left by monks when they fled the scene in dismay,” the bystander said.

The incident marks the first time since the recent wave of protests started in Burma that uniformed soldiers have fired rounds in response.

Reporting by Aye Naing 
 
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DVB - Thursday, September 5, 2007

Monks set fire to government cars

Sep 06, 2007 (DVB)—A group of monks from Pakokku’s central Mahavithutarama monastery have set fire to four government vehicles after locking a group of officials inside their compound.

The officials, who reportedly travelled to the monastery to apologise for the bashing, arrest and disrobing of three monks yesterday, include Magwe division’s religious affairs representative and the chairman of the Magwe Peace and Development Council.

Soldiers in Pakokku fired warning shots at a group of about 600 monks who staged a protest over high fuel and commodity prices yesterday, before bashing bystanders and making several arrests.

Many of the monks involved in the protest were from the central Mahavithutarama monastery. When the officials arrived at the monastery at about 10:30 this morning, they were locked inside the compound by the monks in an apparent act of revenge. The monks then set fire to four of the vehicles the officials arrived in, eyewitnesses told DVB.

“Four vehicles have already been completely burnt and there are two left. There is a crowd of more than 1000 people standing around the monastery and cheering on the monks,” one eyewitness said.

“So far no fire department vehicles or soldiers have been deployed yet,” the eyewitness said.

Attempts to contact the monks inside the monastery have so far been unsuccessful and it is unclear how long they plan to hold the officials.

Reporting by Aye Naing