[Assam] Is Rangoon rising?

[Nava Thakuria]

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Is Rangoon rising? 

Nava Thakuria writes from India


The recent spat of protests in Rangoon has reminded everyone of the great 8-8-88 Burmese Uprisation. The second half of August has suddenly brought exciting news for international media from Rangoon, which had meanwhile turned into a citadel of demonstrations. 

 Within a week, the quit and calm city became the place of happenings, where a number of protests were carried out even though many of those remained unfinished due to the government's interferences. Even then, the intention of those revelations was loud and clear, the junta must read the writings on the walls. 

It all started with a silent procession on August 19 in northern areas of Rangoon city, where more than 400 people participated. Traditionally clad, both male and female participants started their protest rally from Kokekaing to the Kyaukmyong market. The demonstrators starting their rally at around 10 in the Sunday morning showed neither any placards nor shouted any slogans. The rally led by the 88 Generation Students Group culminated at around 12:30 pm after covering around 9 km. 

The silent procession was instigated with the abrupt rise of fuel prices almost two times. The government had raised the price of fuel with affect from August 15 without any prior notification. The new price of petrol went up to Kyats 2500 (US$ 1= Kyats 1300) from Kyats 1500 per gallon. Similarly diesel price soared from 1,500 Kyats to 3,000 Kyats (per gallon). The price of a canister of compressed natural gas (CNG) was raised up to 2,500 Kyats. The price hike soon starts affecting the commuters, as the public transport fares went up. The minimum bus fare jumped to Kyats 100 from Kyats 40. 

The Sunday protest was followed by another rally on August 22, though it was tamed down by a gang of government supporters. Around 150 pro-democracy activists came out to the streets in the outskirts of Rangoon. However, they were disbanded by more than 200 junta supporters. Even few leading protesters were whisked away by the junta appointed goons. The rally, where women participated in big numbers, tried to march towards Insein prison in northern Rangoon. The Insein prison has the notorious records of detaining over thousand political prisoners including some journalists. 

'The New Light of Myanmar', the government controlled daily acknowledged that 'authorities concerned have taken into custody and are interrogating the so-called 88 generation students Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Pyone Cho (a) Htay Win Aung, Min Zeya, Mya Aye (a) Thura, Kyaw Min Yu (a) Jimmy, Zeya (a) Kalama, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe (a) Markee, Arnt Bwe Kyaw, Panneik Tun, Zaw Zaw Min, Thet Zaw and Nyan Lin Tun for their acts' for undermining the government's efforts to ensure peace and security of the State and peaceful transfer of the State power with the help of seven-steps Road Map. 

But the arrest of those leaders and participants in the silent rally did not deter another group of nearly 40 pro-democracy activists to carry out a procession on August 23. The participants belonging to Nobel laureate Suu Kyi led National League for Democracy (NLD) went ahead with the demonstration until they were stopped in the northern areas of Rangoon by a group of police and junta supporters. Some of the participants were even manhandled by the police in civil dresses and few of them were detained. 

Next day, another protest rally was smashed by the police and pro-junta thugs, before it takes place. More than 50 pro-democracy protesters assembled in front of Rangoon City Hall in the Friday afternoon. Bur soon they were chased away by the thugs and over 20 participants were beaten up badly. Many of them wee also taken away by the police from the locality. 

Anti-government rallies are normally rare inside the military ruled Burma. The present regime known as the State Peace and Development Council is habituated with the suppressive actions against the public protesters. The group of Generals fear of another nationwide uprising that took place in 1988, where hundred thousand demonstrators participated demanding democratic changes. The military retaliated with guns and tanks that resulted in the killing of around 3,000 Burmese. The situation had finally forced the then military ruler General Ne Win to step down. The present regime under the leadership of Senior General Than Shwe took control of Burma there after.


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