Burma junta faces monks' challenge

Monks have been protesting in Burma, adding to the rare public defiance seen in recent weeks. The BBC's Andrew Harding has just returned from the country and explains why the monks' involvement will make the military government nervous.

Buddhist monks are revered in Burma's devout society

In a crowded monastery dormitory on the outskirts of Rangoon, a 17-year-old monk flexed his arm muscles in a somewhat incongruous show of strength. "I'm ready to fight," he said with a grin. "We all are."

It was 1100 local time, and the young monk and his friends had just returned from their regular morning tour of the neighbourhood, collecting donations of food in their black alms bowls.

A sudden rainstorm had drenched many of them on their rounds, and a row of soaking brown, orange and maroon robes were hanging out to dry on a broad wooden balcony.

"We are organising," whispered another young monk, between mouthfuls of rice, as he sat on a mat in the dark dining room.

"We are planning more protests. People are angry about what has happened to our country, and about the way these thugs attacked us."

So far the government has done nothing to ease the situation. All they do is try to oppress protests... rather than come up with solutions to solve problems for the poor U Win Naing Democracy activist

On the wet street outside, a quiet crowd had gathered to wait for leftovers from the monastery.

Before long, ragged children and barefooted men were jostling for scraps.

In a country with alarmingly high childhood malnutrition rates - where a growing number of families are reduced to one meal a day - the monks are acutely aware of the suffering around them.

It is that suffering, along with resentment about the beating of individual monks by the authorities in earlier protests, which appears to have triggered this week's sustained campaign of street demonstrations.

Monks in Rangoon and across the country have marched in a direct and humiliating challenge to Burma's military authorities.

The monks' involvement has breathed new life into a campaign which began last month as a response to an abrupt fuel price rise, and which had been faltering following the arrest of more than 100 activists.

Unstable time

What no-one knows yet is how much of a threat the monks now pose to a military government which has held power in Burma since 1962.

Could this be the start of what a United Nations official here, speaking on condition of anonymity, described as "a perfect storm" or will it simply fizzle out in the months ahead?

Burma's military rulers want to avoid confrontation with the clergy

"The monks have the potential to add an exponential factor," said the UN official.

"We are looking at the emergence of trends that could make this impossible for [the generals] to handle. It's got the makings of a major disaster."

"It is an unstable time," agreed the veteran democracy activist U Win Naing.

"Unless the government is willing to compromise... then there could be chaos. So far the government has done nothing to ease the situation. All they do is try to oppress protests... rather than come up with solutions to solve problems for the poor."

Much now depends on how the military handles these protests - how much tact the generals can muster.

"Are we seeing just a blip," asked the UN official, "or will this force the authorities to define a hardline stance?"

'Born afraid'

The authorities have shown no qualms about beating and arresting opposition activists in recent weeks.

But Burma's monks occupy a revered place in a profoundly devout society, and so, while some of their protests have been answered with tear gas and arrests, the authorities have generally allowed the monks to march without major interference - merely watched and filmed by plain-clothed police.

Protests in August were forcibly broken up by security forces

A glance at the front pages of the government-run newspaper, "The New Light of Myanmar", gives an indication of how sensitive the authorities are becoming to this issue.

"Lt Gen Myint Swe and party presented offerings including robes..." runs the main article, above another column claiming that "protests are no longer fashionable".

An accompanying photograph shows the general on his knees in front of a senior monk, in a public display of reverence.

For years the military has assiduously cultivated ties with the senior clergy, often spending huge sums on building or renovating temples.

Those ties may yet pay off. The government is also helped by the memory of the bloodshed which ended the last significant protests in 1988, when some 3,000 people were killed when the authorities launched a crackdown.

At another monastery in Rangoon, I asked an older, bespectacled monk if he believed the talk from his younger colleagues about a long "fight".

He shook his head. "Here in Burma," he said, "we are born afraid."

US leader condemns Burma arrests

Dozens of protesters are now thought to be in custody

US President George W Bush has strongly criticised Burma's military leaders over recent arrests of dissidents protesting against a fuel price rise.

Mr Bush said that the protesters should be listened to rather than being "forcibly silenced".

Dozens of people have been arrested at small demonstrations around the country since the price hike on 15 August.

Analysts say it is an extremely rare display of public dissent in the military-ruled nation.

"I strongly condemn the ongoing actions of the Burmese regime in arresting, harassing, and assaulting pro-democracy activists for organising or participating in peaceful demonstrations," Mr Bush said.

"These activists were voicing concerns about recent dramatic increases in the price of fuel, and their concerns should be listened to by the regime rather than silenced through force."

Hunger strike

The government doubled the price of petrol and diesel on 15 August. The price of compressed natural gas - used for buses - increased five-fold.

The move was not announced ahead of time and the reasons behind it remain unclear. But the increase has hit people hard in the impoverished nation.

Since then, there have been a series of protests, both in the main city, Rangoon, and in other towns around the country.

The demonstrations have continued despite the arrests of many of Burma's most prominent activists, who have been organising them.

Dozens of people are thought to be in detention and there are reports that some of them have begun a hunger strike.

Mr Bush urged the Burmese government to "stop its intimidation of those Burmese citizens who are promoting democracy and human rights".

Correspondents say although the protests are small, that they are continuing at all is remarkable given government attempts to end them.

Fresh fuel protests held in Burma

Jonathan Head BBC News

Some of Burma's best known dissidents are now thought to be in custody

Further protests have been held in Burma over fuel price rises, despite the arrest of more than 60 activists by the military since last week.

The low-key demonstrations involved some 30 people in Rangoon and up to 200 monks in the western port of Sittwe.

But analysts say it is remarkable they are happening at all, given the army's crackdown on last week's protests.

The fuel price rise, in the case of cooking gas by 500%, has enraged a population already living in poverty.

In addition to deploying soldiers and armed police, the government has sent gangs of thugs, some allegedly recently released criminals, to attack the protestors and drag away their leaders.

The dozens of activists now thought to be in custody include some of Burma's best known dissidents.

The mainly novice monks in Sittwe were not stopped from protesting, according to local residents.

Their involvement must worry the government, echoing the widespread involvement of monks in the 1988 uprising that came close to overthrowing military rule.

Some Burmese are speculating that the fuel price rise was a deliberate move to provoke a crisis, perhaps reflecting disagreements within the ruling military council.

But with such a heavy security presence now on the streets of all the main towns, it will be difficult for any activists to keep their protest movement going.

Junta breaks up rare Burma rally

Price hike tiggers tensions

Supporters of Burma's military junta have broken up protests against the doubling of fuel prices.

About 200 people marched in Rangoon in the rare demonstration, but dispersed after a number were bundled into cars and driven away.

A similar protest was held on Sunday, the largest such rally in a decade.

The junta arrested at least 13 activists before Wednesday's protest, including some of the nation's most prominent dissidents.

Veteran leaders

The latest protest took place on the northern outskirts of Rangoon.

The demonstrators, most of them women, were cheered by onlookers as they marched in defiance of the junta's strict controls on protests.

88 GENERATION STUDENTS Group of former student activists in Burma Named after the 1988 uprising, which was brutally crushed by the military Key members have suffered long prison terms Profile: 88 Generation

"We are marching to highlight the economic hardship that Myanmar (Burma) people are facing now, which has been exacerbated by the fuel price hike," one protester told the Associated Press news agency.

Their path was blocked by supporters of the junta and plain-clothed officers, witnesses said, and the rally dispersed as up to 10 demonstrators were bundled into cars and driven off.

Last week's fuel price rises left many people struggling to find the money to travel to work.

Sunday's protest against the move had involved veteran leaders of the so-called 88 Generation Students group.

Many taxis and buses did not run after the price rises

The group was at the forefront of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was violently put down by the military.

Seven top leaders of the group were among the activists arrested this week.

They include Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi - some of Burma's most prominent dissidents after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Burma's state media said the activists had been arrested for "undermining stability and the security of the nation".

The BBC's South-East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, says there have been several small demonstrations since February focusing on growing hardships as the economy declines under the impact of international sanctions and government mismanagement.

The latest rallies are by far the largest and our correspondent says the prospect of economic protests linking up with the 1988 veterans would be especially alarming to the military government.

It was this combination of factors that led to the near overthrow of the military regime during that first uprising 19 years ago.

On Monday the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) warned there could be further protests and security was stepped up in Rangoon.

The NLD's leader, 62-year-old Ms Suu Kyi, has spent most of the past 17 years under house arrest.

The NLD won landmark elections in 1990 but the junta never recognised the result.