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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Aung San Suu Kyi criticises government violence against mine protesters | Aung San Suu Kyi criticises government violence against mine protesters |
| (30 days later) | |
| The Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has publicly criticised the forcible crackdown on protesters at a mine in the country and said the public need an explanation for the violence that has injured dozens, including Buddhist monks. | The Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has publicly criticised the forcible crackdown on protesters at a mine in the country and said the public need an explanation for the violence that has injured dozens, including Buddhist monks. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi received a hero's welcome on Friday in the town of Monywa, where residents were rattled by the government's biggest crackdown on demonstrations since the reformist president Thein Sein took office last year. | Aung San Suu Kyi received a hero's welcome on Friday in the town of Monywa, where residents were rattled by the government's biggest crackdown on demonstrations since the reformist president Thein Sein took office last year. |
| She was scheduled to visit the area before the crackdown to hear the protesters' grievances and said she would try to negotiate or mediate in the conflict over the mine, which protesters say is causing environmental and social problems. | She was scheduled to visit the area before the crackdown to hear the protesters' grievances and said she would try to negotiate or mediate in the conflict over the mine, which protesters say is causing environmental and social problems. |
| Speaking to a crowd of more than 10,000, Aung San Suu Kyi said she did not want confrontation but people had the right to ask why the authorities cracked down so harshly on the non-violent protesters. | Speaking to a crowd of more than 10,000, Aung San Suu Kyi said she did not want confrontation but people had the right to ask why the authorities cracked down so harshly on the non-violent protesters. |
| "I want to ask: 'What was their purpose of doing this?' Frankly, there's no need to act like this," she said, and people in the crowd shouted back: "Right!" | "I want to ask: 'What was their purpose of doing this?' Frankly, there's no need to act like this," she said, and people in the crowd shouted back: "Right!" |
| "I'm not saying this to agitate people," she continued. "I never persuade people by agitating. I explain to people so that they can decide by thinking." | "I'm not saying this to agitate people," she continued. "I never persuade people by agitating. I explain to people so that they can decide by thinking." |
| Activists and Buddhist monks who say the Letpadaung copper mine is causing environmental and social problems had occupied the mine for 11 days before police used water cannon, teargas and smoke bombs to break up the protest on Thursday. | Activists and Buddhist monks who say the Letpadaung copper mine is causing environmental and social problems had occupied the mine for 11 days before police used water cannon, teargas and smoke bombs to break up the protest on Thursday. |
| Weapons that protesters described as flare guns caused severe burns to protesters and set shelters ablaze. A nurse at a Monywa hospital said 27 monks and one other person were admitted there to be treated for burns. | Weapons that protesters described as flare guns caused severe burns to protesters and set shelters ablaze. A nurse at a Monywa hospital said 27 monks and one other person were admitted there to be treated for burns. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi visited injured protesters on Thursday, as well as meeting mining company officials and local activists. | Aung San Suu Kyi visited injured protesters on Thursday, as well as meeting mining company officials and local activists. |
| She has taken a soft line on the conflict over the project, noting that many people asked her to help to stop the project at once, but saying she did not know details of the original contract and a parliamentary investigating committee had yet to do its work. | She has taken a soft line on the conflict over the project, noting that many people asked her to help to stop the project at once, but saying she did not know details of the original contract and a parliamentary investigating committee had yet to do its work. |
| She said the deals were done under the previous military regime without taking into account the wishes of the people, and "we are suffering as a result of these", but Burma should honour its commitments nonetheless. | She said the deals were done under the previous military regime without taking into account the wishes of the people, and "we are suffering as a result of these", but Burma should honour its commitments nonetheless. |
| The government's position is similar, with senior officials publicly stating that the protesters' demands to stop operating the mine risk scaring off foreign investment in Burma's long-neglected economy. | The government's position is similar, with senior officials publicly stating that the protesters' demands to stop operating the mine risk scaring off foreign investment in Burma's long-neglected economy. |
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