The Myanmar authorities issued on Tuesday night a curfew order,
banning the gathering of more than five persons in the country's
biggest city of Yangon, according to the Yangon Division
Administrative Department.
Monks take part in a
march against the government in Yangon September 25, 2007.
Myanmar's junta imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the country's two
main cities on Wednesday after pouring security forces into Yangon
to try to end the biggest protests against military rule in nearly
20 years.
The curfew order, which applies to almost all townships in
Yangon, has been effective since Tuesday night from 9 PM to 5 AM
for a period of 60 days, said an announcement signed by the head of
the department Hla Tun.
The announcement was broadcast by loudspeakers on vehicles
patrolling the city before midnight.
Tens of thousands of Buddhist monks and civilians continued to
stage demonstrations in Yangon on Tuesday afternoon despite
warnings by the government and the State Vulnerable Monks
Committee.
As in the last week, the demonstrators marched in procession
from the eastern gate of the holy Shwedagon Pagoda to the downtown
Sule Pagoda.
Since Tuesday morning, the authorities have been patrolling the
city and broadcasting by loudspeakers, warning to disperse unlawful
gathering with the use of force.
On Monday evening, the State Vulnerable Monks Committee of
Myanmar issued a new directive to all levels of the committee,
calling on its members to avoid getting involved in party politics
and instigation and to stay away from forming, joining or
supporting any illegal monk organizations.
Actions will be taken against the members who commit acts that
tarnish the prestige of the Sasana (religion) and those who violate
individually or in groups religious rules and laws prescribed by
the government, the directive said.
On Monday, Myanmar Minister of Religious Affairs
Brigadier-General Thura Myint Maung said in his supplication to the
committee that the recent monk demonstrations in the country were
incited by external and internal destructive elements and four
foreign broadcasting stations.
He noted that the monk demonstrations would not only undermine
the stability of the state but also tarnish the image of Myanmar
monks.
Myanmar's second largest city of Mandalay was also under
curfew.
(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2007)
