"The involvement of the monks is a significant escalation...It shows that the frustration has increased, a political frustration as well as an economic frustration."-David Steinberg-
Yesterday in Myanmar, nearly 1,000 monks were joined by thousands of people who walked alongside them in the greatest sign of public participation since the protests in the country began on Aug. 19, after the government "raised fuel prices on Aug. 15 without warning or explanation by as much as 500 percent."
As reported by the
New York Times, the Asian Human Rights Commission, an independent group based in Hong Kong, released what it said was a transcript of a public statement by monks in Yangon yesterday:
"The clergy boycotts the violent, mean, cruel, ruthless, pitiless kings, the great thieves who live by stealing from the national treasury. The clergy hereby also refuses donations and preaching."
Read the rest of the
NYTimes article here.
posted by Alexandra at 9/21/2007 08:39:00 AM 
