Demonstrations in Pegu

Indian standard Time – 3:46 p.m - For security reasons, high school students in Thone Guah Township, in Rangoon Division, have been restricted since Saturday from returning home during lunch break.

3:00 pm - Mandalay remains quiet; Junta orders monks to stay silent

A resident of Mandalay, Burma’s second largest city, spoke with Mizzima;

“I have been through the city and it remains quiet. I do not see anything unusual. But I haven’t been to Phayargyi Pagoda or the Mya Taung area. I am not sure what it looks like in those areas. I have been to the 14th Street junctions and all, where there is no heavy security and all remains quiet.”

Visibly there is no security up to Mingalardan. Now I am heading to Zyecho [Mandalay’s main market in the west], and I am travelling on 35th and there is also nothing. I also do not think there would be anything on 26th Street. I heard that 26th Street is going to be repaired. But I am not sure what will happen at the monasteries.

Yesterday I heard that the Mandalay Division commander informed the monasteries, where there are over 100 monks, to stay in peace and not get involved in anything – and to request whatever they need from the government. We heard that the commander of the Mandalay Division yesterday came to Pahnihtharyone Monastery in the east and informed the monks.”

1:00 p.m - Hundreds of activists today, for about three hours, protested against the doubling of fuel prices in Pegu, 50 miles north of Rangoon.

About 50 people, wearing white shirts, on Monday shouted demands to decrease fuel prices in the town, sources said.

The march started from Pegu Myoma market at 9:00 a.m and onlookers joined the demonstration when it reached the road linking Pegu with the neighboring town of Thanatpin.

“The crowd grew in size to several hundred,” said the President of the Pegu Division National League for Democracy.

According to him, people from Thanutpin, Tarwa and Waw joined the demonstration.

Local authorities summoned key leaders of the protestors, holding discussions with them for about an hour.

At least 65 people, mainly in Rangoon and including prominent pro-democracy activists, have been detained in spontaneous peaceful protests since last week. This comes after fuel prices rose two-fold from prices two weeks previously and without any prior announcement by the junta regarding the reduction in state subsidies.

11:30 a.m - Junta undecided on how to deal with detained student leaders

The Burmese junta is reportedly still undecided over how best to handle detained 88 generation student leaders.

Sources close to the military say the Burmese junta held a closed door cabinet meeting on Sunday in Naypyidaw over how to handle the detained student activists, but failed to reach a decision.

Security tightened in Rangoon

Security has been tightened in Burma’s former capital city of Rangoon. Observers say soldiers have been posted at 300 meter intervals along Pyi Street in Rangoon. Meanwhile, eyewitness say, two army vehicles and several pro-junta thugs can be seen in front of Rangoon City Hall.