Demonstrations continue in Rangoon and spread out to other parts of Burma

[Breaking News - Live] Indian Standard Time - 4:40 p.m
Interview with demonstrator in Singapore
“Two police vehicles arrived while we were demonstrating and about 10 police approached us. They asked us to show our identity cards, addresses, university IDs, and phone numbers in detail. And the police forced us to go back. We could not demonstrate too long in front of the Burmese embassy. But we are quite satisfied because altogether there were only about 15 to 20 people and we did as much as we could. There were no Burmese workers joining us today, most of us were students. We have plans to hold more demonstrations in the coming days.”

3:30 p.m - The National League for Democracy this afternoon released a press statement demanding:

(1) The immediate and unconditional release of those arrested
(2) An end to the use of violence on peaceful demonstrators
(3) An end to the use of inhumane treatment and abusive language

“In relation to the sudden rise of commodity prices, we feel that actions taken by the authorities are not fair. The authorities claim that they are building a democratic nation, if so they should democratically give some kind of explanation on the sudden rise of commodity prices to the people. But this is not the case. Moreover, the authorities are violently cracking down on the people, who are desperately demonstrating their economic difficulties peacefully. This type of violent crackdown is not the right solution, and the people will not get better. On these types of problems, the whole country should be united in finding a solution together. Therefore, we have made these three demands,” NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win told Mizzima.

3:45 p.m - Preparing for demonstration in Singapore

A Burmese in Singapore told Mizzima of their planned demonstration: “We are about 30 people here now. Our plan is to shout slogans against double taxation imposed on us. We have informed almost all Burmese here in Singapore. We have told them to come together at 5:00 p.m. Some have arrived but some have not as offices here are not yet closed. We believe by 5:30 or 6:00 p.m most people will arrive. There are two police vehicles positioned in front of the Burmese embassy, and we don’t know what will happen.”

3:15 p.m - “I saw two strange men on the bus checking every person boarding and exiting the bus. They looked like Special Investigation Service,” one woman bus rider told Mizzima by email.

3:00 p.m - Motor Vehicles Control Department ordered to reduce bus fares

Following continued demonstrations by the people, the Burmese military junta has ordered city bus drivers and conductors to revert to the old fares in place prior to the hike in fuel prices.

“The order was given to vehicles like Chevrolet old buses, KM Hino and medium cars like Dyna. The starting rate is 50 kyat,” an official at the Rangoon division of the Motor Vehicles Control Department (MVCD) told Mizzima. “Within Rangoon it is 200 kyat,” he added.

Following the sudden fuel price hikes, bus fares in Rangoon rose to 500 kyat for what was before a 200 kyat ride.

Despite the order by the MVCD, bus conductors have not strictly followed the instruction and continue to charge a 100 kyat fare for what was before a 50 kyat journey.

2:10 p.m - Protestors arrested in Myay Ni Kone

10 members of the National League for Democracy, from Thingan Kyun, Dagon and Yankin townships, who gathered this morning at about 10:00 (local time), were arrested by USDA and Swan Arrshin members.

“During the arrest and beating, whatever possessions were dropped by the protestors were lost. If they dropped their watch it was then broken, if they dropped an umbrella it was thrown away [by the USDA and Swan Arrshin],” said an eyewitness.

1:50 p.m - Though activists declared they would launch a protest in front of City Hall in downtown Rangoon, so far there has been no public protest at the location. An eyewitness told Mizzima that, as of now, only interested bystanders could be seen.

1:43 p.m - Ko Htin Kyaw, a member of the Myanmar Development Committee who called for a mass protest on Wednesday, has reportedly arrived in Mandalay. Rumors of Htin Kyaw starting a protest in front of Mandalay’s Maha Myat Mohnih [Phayargyi] Pagoda have been spreading, but officials of the Mandalay National League for Democracy say there hasn’t been any protest so far in Mandalay.

1:29 p.m - U Ohn Than, who conducted a solo demonstration in front of Rangoon’s American Embassy, was arrested and taken away by police at 1 p.m (local time).

12:30 p.m - Demonstrations at Yenan Chaung, Magwe Division

Demonstrations at Yenan Chaung took place today at about 8:00 a.m (local time) and ended at about 12 noon (local time). As there was limited or no Swan Arrshin, Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) and police presence to stop the protesters, the demonstration went smoothly.

Interview with Ko Than Aung, National League for Democracy (NLD) member

“We began marching from the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) office. We marched for about an hour. There were about 40 people in the beginning. We were applauded by the people throughout the streets. We marched around the main market in Yenan Chaung. We then marched back to the TPDC office. As usual, police were positioned at the corners and junctions of the streets. They sometimes followed us, and sometimes stayed ahead of us.

There were police on the streets but no USDA or Swan Arrshin, because these groups are not so strong in Yenan Chaung. So, there are only police for security. They were in full uniform. As the people of the city do not want the USDA and Swan Arrshin, they dare not come and disturb us. The police were posted just for security.

We ended up about 60 altogether, and people were offering us drinking water and applauding.

We also explained to the people the reason for our march. We told them of how we are all suffering because of the fuel price increases that have now led to the rise of commodity prices, and therefore, as an act of opposing the government’s actions we are marching in protest.”

12:18 p.m - The junta, as of yesterday, imposed strict measures against movement in Minbu Town of central Burma’s Magwe division. Workers have been restricted from leaving their work place during the hours of 6:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. Minbu is a center for petroleum production under the Energy Ministry and is home to government workers as well as private company staff.

11:55 a.m - Most of the protestors who were arrested yesterday have reportedly been freed.

11:50 a.m - In support of the continued protests in Rangoon and other parts of Burma against increased fuel prices, over 250 Burmese pro-democracy activists in New Delhi are conducting a protest rally near the Jantar Mantar park in New Delhi. The demonstrators – Chin, Kachin, Burman and Arakan – all came in traditional dresses showing their support for the continued demonstrations in Burma.

11:30 a.m - Interview with Ma Ni Ni Mon, one of the protestors beaten by the junta-backed group, Swan Arrshin, at Shwegonedine of Bahan Township in Rangoon:

“We began our march from Tamwe Township and when we reached Bandapin bus stand, about 40 of them [Swan Arrshin] joined our group. Then, when we crossed the traffic point at Shwegonedine, vehicles stopped for us.

As we continued marching, after crossing the Shwegonedine traffic point, they [Swan Arrshin] began to stop us. At that time, another group of protesters from South Dagon, who escaped the beatings and arrests [by Swan Arrshin] joined us. We then formed a human chain and sat down. They tried to force us to climb onto a vehicle but we resisted.

We told them that we would not get onto the vehicle, that we are going to our office [National League for Democracy office in Shwegonedine] and since we cannot afford to pay the bus fares, we are walking on foot. But they said, “You are not walking but demonstrating by walking the streets of the city. If you don’t get onto the vehicle, we will arrest you all.” Then they started pulling and pushing us. They also hit us with their fists. We were all numb from their beatings. They started pulling the guys first.

We all stayed hand-in-hand and sat down, but they began pulling the longyis of the guys. When the guys went to hold their longyis with their hands, two of them would grab them from the head and feet and take them to the vehicle. After arresting all the male protestors, they turned to the women protestors. They did the same thing to us, the women. One of the women, Ma Yin Yin Theik, was taken with her longyi down.”

Twenty protesters were arrested at Shwegonedine traffic point.

10:57 a.m - “I saw some police cars at the SHS-2 Mayangone High School. Also some people who look like authorities, in civilian dress and holding walkie-talkies, were in my bus and on the bus of my friends as well,” a Rangoon resident, riding the city’s buses, told Mizzima. The “authority” figures on the buses are believed to be security personnel looking for possible protestors.

10:53 a.m - “I just passed in front of City Hall and saw some police patrolling and some thugs sitting nearby. I heard some civilians say they are waiting for something, waiting for something to happen. Nobody knows what will occur today. Just wait and see,” a Rangoon resident told Mizzima.

10:30 a.m - Burmese in Singapore have planned to march to the Burmese embassy in protest against the junta at 5:00 p.m. (local time). The Singapore government keeps tight control over the movement of the Burmese opposition in Singapore.

10:00 a.m - About 50 people had gathered at about 10:00 a.m. (local time) in Shwegonedine of Bahan Township in Rangoon to conduct demonstrations. But Swan Arrshin personnel, a junta-backed civilian organization, stopped the activists, which has led to a traffic jam in the area.

Activists have called for a bigger demonstration at 1:00 p.m, but the location has not been announced.