University Students Protest Against Rising Bus Fares in Kalay

12 January 2011: About 500 university students take to the street in Kalay Myo of Sagaing Division today, protesting against a sharp rise in bus fare introduced in the new year by the military authorities.

The students of three universities including Kalay University, Kalay Computer University and Tehnological University (Kalay) walk on foot from Kalay Train Station towards downtown around 7:30am, demonstrating against an increase of bus fares from 100 to 200 Kyats.

“They [the students] have been walking on foot towards their universities since early morning. They are protesting against the bus fares being increased from 100 to 200 Kyats for a single journey to the university,” a local resident of Kalay Myo told Chinland Guardian.

“The students have faced difficulties in waiting for and getting on the buses as the service is so limited. So, they are demanding more bus services from the authorities,” said a local witness.

In 2007, a sharp increase in fuel price led to popular protests later known as “Saffron Revolution” led by Buddhist monks, which was brutally put off by the military regime.

There are about 4,000 students studying at Kalay University, 1,000 at Government Tehnological University and 400 at Computer University in Kalay Myo.

Van Biak Thang
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