In Pakokku soldiers try to apologise for yesterday’s violence when they violently dispersed an anti-junta rally organised by monks. A thousand residents acclaim them outside monastery.

Yangon (AsiaNews) – Hundreds of Buddhist monks have taken about 20 members of Myanmar's security forces hostage in Pakokku, north-west of Yangon, one day after clashes broke out at local protest rally against a decision by the ruling junta on August 15 to hike fuel prices. During yesterday’s incident, soldiers shot warning shots, and then arrested and stripped at least three monks, two of whom religious leaders.

According to the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) website, the security forces came today to the main monastery in Mahavithutarama to apologise for yesterday’s incident.

The monks locked them instead inside the monastery compound and set four of their vehicles on fire; two other vehicles were left untouched, eyewitnesses said.

A crowd of about a thousand people poured into the streets of the town, gathering in front of the monastery gates to applaud the monks.

Thus far no one—whether police, fire brigade or military—has yet to intervene to free the soldiers.

• myanmar
• burma
• yangon
• pakokku
• buddhist
• monks
• monastery
• military
• hostage