| Many Burmese Monks Arrested |
| Monday, October 26, 2009 |
At least 30 monks were arrested in Burma in September and October, the two-year anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, sources said.
Sources familiar with the Sangha, the institution of monks nationwide, said 13 monks from Meiktila and 10 monks from Kyaukpadaung townships in Mandalay Division were arrested in late September, in an effort by the military junta to discourage or break up potential demonstrations by monks.
An official in Meiktila who requested anonymity said monks from the Nagar Yone Monastery in the township were among those arrested.
A Burmese human rights group in exile, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP), confirmed that dozens of monks were arrested in the past two months.
“More than 20 monks were detained throughout September,” Bo Kyi, the joint-secretary of the AAPP, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday. “We’ve gotten reports of seven monks arrested recently.”
The AAPP said the recent arrests took place in Arakan State, and Rangoon, Mandalay and Magwe divisions.
There are 224 monks among the 2,119 political prisoners in Burma, said the AAPP, not including the recent arrests.
In September, the Burmese regime announced an amnesty for prisoners. The number of political prisoners released totaled 127, including four monks, of the 7,114 prisoners who received amnesty.
The All Burma Monks’ Alliance, which led the 2007 demonstrations, has renewed its call for the regime to apologize for the beating and arrests of monks in Pakokku two years ago and to release all monks who were imprisoned during the subsequent crackdown.
The monks set an Oct. 3 deadline for the regime to respond, saying that if there is no apology, monks will start another boycott of alms offered by all military and government personnel, known in Buddhism as “patta ni kozana kan.”
Burmese authorities responded to the monks’ call by increasing security in Rangoon early this month.
irrawaddyLabels: Arbitrary arrests, Unlawful arrests |
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