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| Burmese military threatens monks | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Burma's ruling military junta has warned it is ready to "take action" against Buddhist monks leading mounting protests, state media have reported. | Burma's ruling military junta has warned it is ready to "take action" against Buddhist monks leading mounting protests, state media have reported. |
| Brig Gen Thura Myint Maung, minister for religion, warned them not to break Buddhist "rules and regulations" as Rangoon saw the largest march yet. | |
| He blamed the protests on "destructive elements" opposed to peace in Burma. | |
| Monks are highly revered in Burma and any move by the junta to crush their demonstrations would spark an outcry. | Monks are highly revered in Burma and any move by the junta to crush their demonstrations would spark an outcry. |
| Map of Rangoon showing locations in the democracy march | Map of Rangoon showing locations in the democracy march |
| The military government has so far showed restraint against the protests but there are fears of a repeat of 1988, correspondents say, when the last democracy uprising was crushed by the military and some 3,000 people were killed. | |
| Some monks' representatives had called for the entire country to join them in their campaign to overthrow the government, which began eight days ago. | |
| Monday saw marches in at least 25 towns and cities, including Mandalay, Sittwe and Pakokku. | |
| Turnout estimates in Rangoon, Burma's biggest city, range from 50,000 to 100,000. | Turnout estimates in Rangoon, Burma's biggest city, range from 50,000 to 100,000. |
| Crackdown fears | Crackdown fears |
| Monday's marches are a show of defiance unthinkable just a few weeks ago, BBC Asia correspondent Andrew Harding reports. | Monday's marches are a show of defiance unthinkable just a few weeks ago, BBC Asia correspondent Andrew Harding reports. |
| PROTESTS MOUNT 15 Aug: Junta doubles fuel prices, sparking protests5 Sept: Troops injure several monks at a protest in Pakokku17 Sept: The junta's failure to apologise for the injuries draws fresh protests by monks18-21 Sept: Daily marches by monks in Burmese cities gradually gather in size 22 Sept: 1,000 monks march to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon23 Sept: Up to 20,000 march in Rangoon24 Sept: New Rangoon march draws at least 50,000 and 24 other towns join in href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7010624.stm">In pictures: Protests class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7010202.stm">Q&A: Protests in Burma Send us your comments | |
| Five columns of monks, one reportedly stretching for more than 1km (0.6 miles), entered the city centre to cheers and applause from thousands of bystanders. | Five columns of monks, one reportedly stretching for more than 1km (0.6 miles), entered the city centre to cheers and applause from thousands of bystanders. |
| Civilians who joined in pinned small pieces of monks' robes on to their clothing, some of them weeping. They included officials from the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by Aung San Suu Kyi. | Civilians who joined in pinned small pieces of monks' robes on to their clothing, some of them weeping. They included officials from the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by Aung San Suu Kyi. |
| The authorities are likely to be under huge pressure from their close neighbour China to avoid bloodshed and instability, our correspondent notes. | The authorities are likely to be under huge pressure from their close neighbour China to avoid bloodshed and instability, our correspondent notes. |
| But if the demonstrations continue, he adds, the generals may see their authority ebb away and their options narrow. | But if the demonstrations continue, he adds, the generals may see their authority ebb away and their options narrow. |
| In his message, the junta's religion minister said action would be taken against the monks' protest marches "according to the law if they cannot be stopped by religious teachings". | |
| It was the first public response by the junta to the mass protests. | |
| The White House has urged Burma's rulers to show restraint and seek dialogue with "those seeking freedom". | The White House has urged Burma's rulers to show restraint and seek dialogue with "those seeking freedom". |
| UK Ambassador Mark Canning said Burma's leaders were now in uncharted territory and he expressed concern about a possible government counter-reaction. | UK Ambassador Mark Canning said Burma's leaders were now in uncharted territory and he expressed concern about a possible government counter-reaction. |
| "That... would be a disaster, although in terms of probability it, I'm afraid, ranks quite high," he told the BBC. | "That... would be a disaster, although in terms of probability it, I'm afraid, ranks quite high," he told the BBC. |
| Detained leader | Detained leader |
| A hard-core group of more than 1,000 of the maroon-robed monks and 400 sympathisers went to Aung San Suu Kyi's street at the end of Monday's march, the Associated Press reported. | |
| They chanted a prayer for peace in the face of the riot police blocking access to her home, where she is under house arrest, before dispersing peacefully. | |
| Monks have been urging Burmese people to hold 15-minute evening prayer vigils. | Monks have been urging Burmese people to hold 15-minute evening prayer vigils. |
| The organisation that has emerged to lead the protests, the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks, has vowed to continue marches until it has "wiped the military dictatorship from the land". | The organisation that has emerged to lead the protests, the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks, has vowed to continue marches until it has "wiped the military dictatorship from the land". |
| The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. | The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. |
| Return | Return |
| Are you in Burma? Have you witnessed the protests? What is the mood like in the country? Send us your comments and experiences. | Are you in Burma? Have you witnessed the protests? What is the mood like in the country? Send us your comments and experiences. |
| You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +447725100100. | You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +447725100100. |
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