Witness accounts from Burma

Soldiers and police started firing into crowds of protestors in Myanmar on Thursday, after giving them 10 mintues to clear the streets or be shot.An eyewitness in Myanmar wrote a letter published on an internet blog., MMEDwatch, denouncing the terror and how monasteries are being broken into by soldiers.“They are treating the sanghas [monks] like terrorists.They [the soldiers] took cash and food away from the monastery, not just the monks. A lot of people have seen the crime scene and even this morning it is apparent there was blood shed last night.

Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery was the worst hit but other monateries were also sieged.”The identity of many eyewitnesses could not be published as the Burman state controls the main broadcasters and publications, imposing censorship and known for using the media as propaganda tools, standing against the report of any opposing views.What also seems clear in the writings of Burman eyewitnesses who manage to have their voice published is their attempt to let the world know what is really happening and their determination to keep on the protest.

The eyewitness published on MMEDwatch also wrote: “People need to know about what happened. The only reason they [the government] issued a curfew is to break into monasteries without eyewitnesses, trying to instill fear so that the protest will stop, dragging the monks out and beating them up to show their strength.”Another eyewitness published on Ko-htike blog, wrote: “Can someone do something for our country? Yangon is now like a war zone. I even heard shooting over the phone. People are not giving up the protest and more are coming out to the streets. They [military] even used tear gas in primary schools.”

MMEDwatch blogko-htike.blogspot.com