Burma protests - a potted history
What’s it all about?
It all boils down to the price of fuel. In August the government significantly increased the price of petrol, diesel and compressed gas. The price hikes hit the population of one of Asia’s poorest countries hard as they had a knock on effect on the cost of essentials such as rice and cooking oil.
People took to the streets in protest but initially the demonstrations were small and disjointed. The government intimidated protestors and when troops used force to break up a peaceful protest on September 5, the Buddhist monks got involved.
People took to the streets in protest but initially the demonstrations were small and disjointed. The government intimidated protestors and when troops used force to break up a peaceful protest on September 5, the Buddhist monks got involved.
Why are the monks involved?
Three monks were injured in the September 5 protest and the monks gave the government until September 17 to apologise. The date came and went and no apology was forthcoming, so the monks started to protest in greater numbers and have held demonstrations every day since the deadline passed.
The demonstrations have now escalated, with tens of thousands of pro-democracy activists and monks taking to the streets, defying a government ban on all public gatherings of more than five people. The ruling junta also imposed a 60-day 9pm-5am curfew.
The demonstrations have now escalated, with tens of thousands of pro-democracy activists and monks taking to the streets, defying a government ban on all public gatherings of more than five people. The ruling junta also imposed a 60-day 9pm-5am curfew.
Who rules Burma?
The 72-year-old General Than Shwe is the most powerful of a three man junta, or military dictatorship. The protestors have been chanting the name of the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
How has the junta responded?
Initially the junta took a relatively passive approach to the protests but it then declared it was ready to take action and its response is getting increasingly heavy-handed with the use of batons and tear gas. By September 26, troops had fired shots over the heads of large crowds in Myanmar's main city and there were reports that the military was infiltrating the protests.
Has anything like this happened before?
Yes. In 1988, government troops shot at protestors, killing at least 3,000 of them. The demonstrations of almost 20 years ago came about as a response to the government’s decision to devalue the currency – a move which wiped out people’s life savings. The demonstrators marched calling for a new government and the end to one-party rule but were fiercely attacked by troops from the existing regime.
