September 27, 2007
Monasteries Raided In Second Day Of Myanmar Crackdown
Myanmar's ruling military government raided at least two monasteries yesterday, the New York Times reports, beating and arresting dozens of Buddhist monks that have been trying to push the junta toward democracy in recent weeks.
Frustrated by the robe-clad monks, who have stayed at the helm of vocal protests for more than a month, the junta seems to have lost its patience. The military dictatorship's response to the pro-democracy movement had initially been more muted than the harsh responses to similar protests in the past. But over the last two days, the military has fired into crowds, sprayed temples with tear gas and beaten monks and other protesters as it tries to rein in the demonstrations.
Today, the military police sparred with a huge crowd at a temple in Yangon, the country's largest city, before issuing an ultimatum warning of "extreme action" that cleared the streets.
Casualty reports are spotty, but up to a dozen are estimated dead and the number is expected to grow as the crackdown continues. Hundreds have been injured and arrested, and tens of thousands of people have been involved in the street protests in Yangon (formerly the capital, known as Rangoon).
The protests, and the military dictatorship's response to them, are beginning to attract the attention of the international community. During his speech before the U.N. General Assembly yesterday, President Bush announced that the U.S. would expand sanctions already imposed on Myanmar's government and urged other member countries to do the same.
U.N. officials also called an emergency meeting of the Security Council yesterday to address the situation. China blocked a resolution to condemn the government's response to the protests, but Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said after the meeting that the U.N. would send a special envoy to the country.
Reuters has a timeline of events in Myanmar, and the Los Angeles Times and AP have a report on the Internet's role in the protests.
