Hundreds march against fuel prices in Sittwe

Aug 28, 2007 (DVB)—More than 200 people are staging a protest march through the streets of Sittwe, calling for lower commodity and gas prices in Burma, according to eyewitnesses.

“About 200 Buddhist monks and some civilians are staging a walking protest and calling for lower commodity prices,” an eyewitness told DVB by telephone from the Arakan capital.

Reports from Sittwe since the government increased fuel prices by up to 500 percent on August 15, suggest residents in the city have been hit particularly hard by the ensuing commodity price rises.

Eyewitnesses said this afternoon that the protest had lasted for at least an hour without government interference. It is the first time since the recent wave of protests started in Burma that high numbers of monks have taken part.

The Burmese military is known to have warned a number of senior abbots around the country against letting monks participate in the demonstrations.

Reporting by Aye Naing