Historical Background

1. Historical Background Burma was made independent state in 1948 A civilian government was formed on July 4, 1948 Through a coup detat Military government took over power in 1962 General Ne win as the president of the country, He remained in power for 26 years. Burma is under strong grip of military rule since

2. Main Issues • Military Rule • There is no independent judiciary in Burma. • Human Rights abuses • Economic disparity • Forced labour, human trafficking, and child labour are common. • Issue of forced Labour and slavery • Drugs • Poverty

3. First resentment against Junta • The first biggest resentment was witnessed in 1974 • When Mr. U Thant, former secretary General of UNO, funeral ceremony was stopped by the military government violently suppressed the anti government protests and killed so many

4. 8888 uprising • In 1988, unrest over economic mismanagement and political oppression by the government led to widespread pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the country known as the 8888 uprising. Security forces committed the massacre of hundreds of demonstrators.

5. New Military government • Taking advantage of country wide protests and upsurge, a new general General Saw Mang staged a coup d'état and formed the State Law and Order Restoration Council. • But this was dissolved in 1993 and converted into State Peace and Development council (SPDC

6. Martial Law • In 1989, SLORC declared Martial Law after widespread protests. The military government finalized plans for People’s Assembly elections on 31 May, 1989.

7. Arrest of Aung San Kyi • In May 1990, the government held free elections for the first time in almost 30 years. The National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, won a total 392 seats out of 489 seats, but the election results were annulled by SLORC, which refused to step down. • Since then Aung San Kyi is under house arrest

8. 2007 the year of upsurge in Burma

9. February protest On February 22, some people, not more than 30 staged a protest and 10 persons arrested but released on personal bond not to hold demonstration again.

10. April 22 protests • In April 22, again a protest was held in which some of those persons participated who were released in February after submitting surety bonds. • 8 people arrested by the “Thugs” • Two of them received head injuries as Thugs beaten them on the road and it was reported that people had beaten them as they do not like anti government protests.

11. Government increase prices of fuel • On August 15, the government removed subsidies on fuel causing a rapid and unannounced increase in prices. The government, which has a monopoly on fuel sales, raised prices from about $1.40 to $2.80 a gallon, and boosted the price of natural gas by about 500%.

12. First reaction to price increase • On August 19, In response to the increase in fuel prices, citizens protested in demonstrations. The government arrested 13 prominent Burmese dissidents including Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Min Zeya, Ko Jimmy, Ko Pyone Cho, Arnt Bwe Kyaw and Ko Mya Aye.

14. Monks protests • Following the August protests, the monks of Burma, coordinated by an underground organization, stepped into the foreground and added new life to the movement.

15. September • On September 5, Burmese troops forcibly broke up a peaceful demonstration in Pakokku and injured three monks. • On September 6, younger monks in Pakokku briefly took several government officials hostage in retaliation. They demanded an apology by the deadline of September 17 but the military refused to apologize.

16. Thousands of monks protest • On September 18,thousands of Buddist Monks started leading protests • On 19 September 2007, possibly 15000 or more monks staged a protest march in the city of Sittwe. Larger protests in Rangoon and elsewhere ensued over the following days. Security became increasingly heavy handed, resulting in a number of deaths and injuries

17. Monks disobedience September 22, around two thousand monks marched through Rangoon and ten thousand through Mandalay,with other demonstrations in five townships across Myanmar. • Those marching through the capital chanted the “Metta Sutta” (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness) marching through a barricade on the street in front of noble prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. • In Mandalay, estimated to have 200 monasteries, monks were said to have told people not to join the protests, which ended peacefully.

18. Nuns joined the protests • OnSeptember 23, 500 nuns joined the protests in Yangon. On that day, some 15,000 Buddhist monks and laymen marched through the streets of Yangon in the sixth day of escalating peaceful protests.The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks vowed to continue the protests until the Burmese military junta is deposed.

19. 100000 people protested • OnSeptember 24,, eyewitnesses reported 100,000 people demonstrating in Yangon, making the event the largest Burmese anti-government protest in twenty years.

20. Popular actors joined masses • Two well-known actors, comedian Zagana and film star Kya Thow, also joined protest. • went to Yangon's golden Shwedagon Pagoda early on Monday to offer food and water to the monks

21. Monks defied the military orders • OnSeptember 25, the junta threatened demonstrators with military force and placed army trucks at Shwedagon Pagoda, but 5,000 monks and laypeople marched into the Shwedagon. Civilians were forming a human shield around the monks. Vehicles mounted with loudspeakers toured central Yangon, blaring warnings of military action.

22. Curfew imposed in two cities • On September 26, Myanmar's junta imposed dusk-till-dawn curfews on the country's two largest cities of Yagoon and Mandalay. Additionally, gatherings of more than five people were prohibited. Meanwhile, truckloads of armed soldiers and riot police were sent into Yangon. • pro-democracy figure Win Naing was arrested at his home in Yangon.

23. Japanese Journalist was shot dead • September 27, security forces began raiding monasteries and arresting monks throughout the country. • The security forces also fired on the nearly 50,000 people protesting in Yangon, killing nine people including Japanese photojournalist Kenji NagaiKenji. • Internet access within the nation has been suspended, reportedly in an attempt to dampen international awareness of the situation.

24. Acid spray at demonstrators(September 27) • Security forces were reported used insect spray to crack down on protesters. • Soldiers fired both into the air and directly at students marching toward a high school in Tamwe township in Yangon. Primary school children were inside the school at the time and were reportedly hit by bullets, as were parents arriving to pick up their children.

25. 9 people killed (September 27) • In the evening, the Burmese state television reported that nine people had been killed in a force crackdown on pro-democracy protestors in Yangon. It added that eleven demonstrators and 31 soldiers had been injured.

26. Cameras targeted • 28 September, internet access had been cut and journalists reputedly warned not to report on protests • Troops specifically targeted those caught carrying cameras and beat them. On and after the killing of Japanese photographer Kenji Nagai by the junta.

27. New wave of protestsSeptember 29 • United Nations Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Yangon • Over 1,000 people demonstrated against the government. • AFP stated that security forces charged a group of around 100 protesters on the Pansoedan bridge in central Yangon. • Approximately 5,000 people demonstrated in Mandalay

28. Injured were burned alive(SEPTEMBER 29) • It is reported that crying crematorium workers claimed that they were forced by soldiers to burn injured protesters and civilians to death in YaeWay crematorium on the outskirts of Yangon. The Times Online later reported that it was "widely accepted that the cremations began on the night of Friday, September 28".

29. Army officer rebels • Colonel Hla Win, a central member of the military junta, was reportedly seeking political asylum in Norway. The colonel was said to be in hiding in the jungle with rebels. • A monastery on Wei-za-yan-tar Road was raided early in the morning. Monks studying inside were ordered out and one by one had their heads bashed against the brick wall of the monastery. • The head monk is confirmed to have died later that day. Many civilians who had gathered to help were held back by the military with bayonets.

30. 4000 Monks arrestedOctober 1 • Thousands of heavily armed soldiers were reported to be patrolling the streets of Yangon, • Around 4,000 monks were said to have been rounded up by the military during the previous week in an attempt to stamp out the protests. They were being held at a disused race course. • 5,000 protesters were reported to have gathered in the town of Man Aung, Rakhine State, in the morning. • Three people were arrested at a protest in Sanchaung Township in Yangon a report in The Irrawaddy stated.[

31. Thousands are missing • October 2 • Thousands of monks were unaccounted for and their whereabouts unknown. • Many monasteries are being patrolled by government troops. • There are eyewitness accounts of injured protesters being burned alive by the military regime in a crematorium on the outskirts of Rangoon

32. Threat by photographs • October 3 • 25 monks were arrested by security forces in a raid on a temple overnight. • Military vehicles fitted with loudspeakers patrolled Rangoon's streets blaring: "We have photographs. We are going to make arrests." • Riot police and soldiers were reported to be scouring Yangon with photographs to identify and arrest participants in last week's protests.

33. A leader of the movement killed • October 10 • There were reports that a Win Shwe, a member of the NLD, died during interrogation in the central Myanmar region of Sagaing. He and five colleagues had been arrested on September 26.

34. Mutiny in armyOctober 10 • Sources claimed that five military generals and more than 400 soldiers of SIKAI Division near Mandalay had been jailed for refusing to shoot and beat monks and civilians during the protests.

35. October 12 Four leaders were arrested • Military rulers arrested what was thought to be the last four known leaders, part of the "88 Students Generation" activists of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising. Thousands attended a "pro-government" rally in Rangoon organised by the junta, many allegedly under coercion.

36. About 3000 arrested October 17 • Officials claimed that a total of 2,927 people had been detained and nearly 500 were still being held. • Those released had been asked to sign a "pledge" first. • Reports that the NLD party chairman U Kyaw Khine and secretary Ko Min Aung, have both been sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment.

37. Monks re started their movement • October 26 • Hundreds of riot police and government troops armed with rifles and teargas launchers are said to be back on the streets of Rangoon (Yangon). • October 31 • The monks started to protest again. 200 monks marched in PakokkuMore than 100 Buddhist Monks marched through the central town of Pakokku, This was the first time they have returned to the streets since the crack-down in September.

38. Casualties • UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur said that independent sources reported 30 to 40 monks and 50 to 70 civilians killed as well as 200 beaten. • Democratic rights of people puts the number of deaths at 138. • Daily Mail states that "thousands of protesters are dead and the bodies of hundreds of executed monks have been dumped in the jungle“. • The number of casualties is not yet clear. The official toll remains at 13 killed.