Burma’s Regime Cracked Down On Peaceful Protesters
The military regime used its forces to crack down on peaceful protesters led by the Buddhist monks in Yangon on Wednesday. Troops fired warning shots, tear gas at the crowd and beat some protesters including monks and civilians.
“The security forces come by trucks and stop the march near the pagoda. Some of the protesters including monks are taken away into trucks while a lot more are sealed off inside the pagoda,” said a Chin witness. “We hear people screaming and shouting for help in fear soon as the troops fire shots over the heads of the crowd.”
According to sources, up to 200 maroon-robed monks were arrested outside the Shwedagone Pagoda, the holiest shrine in the country and the starting point of the anti-junta marches which started on 19 August following hiking fuel prices imposed by the military government.
One witness said the security forces with some believed to be hired for dispersing the peaceful crowd blocked with barbed wires streets and roads after blowing up smoke and tear gas at the crowd.
The military junta inflicted a nigh-time curfew between 9 pm and 5 am, banning a gathering of more than five people and also warning of severe punishment to those actively involved in support of the protests.
The demonstration still goes on amid the brutal crackdown and threats by the military junta.
