Protestors march in Rangoon despite arrests

Almost 500 people have started a demonstration against the government’s decision to increase gas prices and are currently marching along Insein road towards Thamine junction in Rangoon.

Bystanders told DVB this morning that the activists started walking from Myay Ni Gone, Hledan and Insein in separate groups at about 9:20am before joining to form a larger group somewhere in Hledan.

Almost half of the protestors are reported to be women with the wife of arrested 88 Generation Student Ko Jimmy, Nilar Thein, and well-known activist Naw Ohn Hla also marching. The protestors are all reportedly wearing traditional Burmese Pinni, white shirts and plain clothes.

“We are here peacefully demonstrating against the hiking of the petrol prices, which have impacted hard on everybody,” one protestor was heard saying by DVB reporters.

“At midnight last night our leaders were arrested but we will continue what we vow to carry out today and hopefully they would be released soon,” another protestor said.

Large numbers of police are believed to be following the protests and taking photos but there have been no reports so far of government interference.

Several demonstrators told DVB that they planned to stop briefly at the Thanlan bus stop in Hlaing district to listen to activist speeches before heading to an unknown location.