Monks in Myanmar stage nonviolent protests

Myanmar Junta Feels Pressure From Monks
September 20, 2007

Hundreds of Buddhist monks marched through rain-washed streets for the third day in Myanmar's main city today, taking the lead in month-long protests that the military junta has so far been powerless to contain.

They prayed at the gold-spired Shwedagon Pagoda, the nation's holiest shrine, then wound through the streets of the city, Yangon, before disbanding in late afternoon and announcing that they would march again, wire services reported.

The involvement of large numbers of monks has increased the challenge to the government in a nation where the Buddhist clergy is highly revered and comprises the most organized group apart from the military.

Protests by monks have been reported in a number of other cities over the past three days. If the monks' demonstrations continue, analysts said, the military junta will face a difficult decision over whether to crush them by force and risk a still greater public backlash.

Read on