Feb 22, 2007 (DV - A peaceful demonstration demanding the reduction of commodity price and 24 hours electricity supply, has occurred in central Rangoon today.

The demonstration started at Panbedan Township and the demonstrators marched towards Sule Pagoda Road area holding placards demanding the reduction of commodity price, 24 hours electricity supply and an end to bullying activities of the authorities.

The demonstration is said to be led by 12 students who name themselves Myanmar Development Committee. The demonstration started around 3.30pm and it lasted about 20 minutes after it was blocked off and broken up at Sule Pagoda area.

A student named Ko Htin Kyaw was arrested and taken away by police agents, according to eyewitnesses.

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Ma Sint Sint Aung of Nippon TV Network, Myat Thura of Kyodo news agency, May Thingyan Hein of Myanmar Dana magazine were also detained at the city hall and still not released, according to Foreign Correspondents Club members in Rangoon.

Some FFC members are said to be still waiting outside the city hall to find out the fates of their colleagues. Another youth named Ko Myint Swe was arrested with Ko Htin Kyaw, it has emerged.

Here is another story about the demonstration, copied from Mizzima:

Protest against junta in downtown Rangoon

Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

February 22, 2007-A small group of people demonstrated against the military junta in downtown Rangoon today blaming it for skyrocketing prices of essential commodities in the country.

A 20-member group holding posters decrying soaring inflation and prices of essential commodities, increasing unemployment and corruption walked from 30th Street of Pabedan township up to Rangoon City Hall on 3:15 p.m.

Eyewitness said the security police came in two trucks and arrested some demonstrators.

"We still do no know much. So far I know they did not demand anything which had political overtones and they expressed their views about people struggling for survival in their daily life," said U Win Naing, a veteran politician in Rangoon to Mizzima.

The yesterday peaceful demonstration in Rangoon means the beginning of an outpouring of the plight of ordinary Burmese people under the Naypyidaw regime.

A few demonstrators involved demanding their civil rights and social needs for a few minutes but it was very loud and clear that Burmese people are no longer able to control their feelings.
This could be a powerful message to the rest of the people in Burma to get up, stand up and fight for their rights.

There were arrests however it was a peaceful demonstration.

On the other hand, neither of the recent PRO-regime demonstrators in front of foreign embassies was unharmed nor arrested.

How many of the Burmese people they can kill or they can put behind bars for the peaceful demonstrations – the whole country? I don’t think so.

The rest of the world is following the news of the plight of Burmese people very carefully.

THIS reminds me of what Thunderbolt wrote under the heading of

QUOTE
“IS IT THE SIGN OF DEMOCRACY??

If you can have it. I must have it.

If these thirty people can march, others would like to march as well.

Thunderbolts.

Post edited by: thunderbolts, at: 2007/02/01 10:39
UNQUOTE

YES, I KNOW, BOLTS AND NUTS, YOU ARE STILL VISITING THIS FORUM,
If these thirty people can march, others would like to march as well.
YES, OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO MARCH TOO AND THEY MARCHED
WHAT HAPPEN WHEN OTHERS MARCHED????????????????????

BBC gives an update on the demonstration:

They write:
Three journalists and one protester were detained by police in Burma after a rare public demonstration in Rangoon.

At least 15 protesters waved placards and chanted slogans calling for lower inflation, better health and education services and stable power supplies.

The demonstration lasted for about 30 minutes before police stepped in.

The Burmese reporters, two working for Japanese media companies, were freed after seven hours of questioning. The protester remains in police custody.

The rest of the article is here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6387527.stm



John

Dear Patriots,

I am glad some people remember me and the " is it the sign of democracy?"

There will be more demostrations without a doubt in Union of Myanmar in future, as long as they are in order and peaceful. They have to be welcomed. As Myanmar is goping towards democracy, there is no way to stop march , democracy or protest.

It is true, in Myanmar, prices are too high. it is also the tourist season, all the planes landed in Myanmar. Two third of these plain are packed with tourists from European and Scandinavia countries.

Besides, exception of goods imported from foreign lands. all otherb good are all home made such as rice, oil, salt, chilly, onion are products of Myanmar. Poutry,( farming ) fish ( farming ) and Veg as well. They are also sky high. Why? Because the producers are Myanmars and they are greedy. When SPDC raoises the salary, the business people raised the price of their goods. Myanmars are drowning in their own ponds, without the help of the outsiders.

The fact is SPDC government cannot effectively control these prices unless there is a demand by the people to do something about it.

This demonstration can be seen as " the authority" given by the people to the SPDC to do something about these high prices and living standard. If the SPDC does without these kind ofpeoples' demands, SPDC can be accused of anything from meddling the free markets to destrpying the smooth running market.

That is how democracy works. This demonstration can be seen as " constructive approach " not necessarily against SPDC. When there is a demand there must be supply, the supply must match the demand, in another way.

Politically we have seen many protests and demonstration against anything by thousands if not millions in the whole wide world, nobody took any notice of it, the authorities did what they wanted to do ignoring the people.

But, the rulars or the authorities in Myanmar have to make sure, what is behind all these demonstrations. It is always possible that the fox may be wearing the sheep skin, though the dead elephant cannot be covered by the goat skin.

Today Myanmar is relativly in peace. Some people have determined this peace must be destroyed. Because they cannot give any credit to SPDC.

In my view, this peace should not be disturbed, for the sake of the people, for the sake of the nation, not in the name of democracy, not in the name of human rights. This peace should be maintained, by every cotizen of the natio, for the sake of themselves, for the sake of the nation, for the sake of the democracy.

The people of Myanmar may not be as free as the people in the so called " free world". But when come to think of it. Freedom itself is always questionable.

In thecase of Myanmar, it is threatened by United States, United Kingdom and some European countries for many reasons and excuses, not necessarily lack of democracy or human rights in Myanmar.

When a nation is under such a threat, the rulars of that nation have to do whatever necessary to counter those threats including taken care of Americanphiles or Anglophiles in the country, the same is US or UK would do when they are under threat, incluiding to limit the human rights for some. They have to take necessary actions against the members of Alcada or the sypathizers of Alcada or the terrorists suspects.

What is freedom? Freedon is withing laws, rules, regulations and producedures. Are the people free to do what they like? Is it because the authorities can not control them, or the authoirities cannot keep the situation under control, etc. so they are allowed to do what they like , they are allowed to say what they like? The authorities also do what they like. What will authirities do, if that freedom is gone out of control?

The authorities take the credit by saying the people are free to do what they like, the people are free to say what they like , th country is free, this is free world. They say it just because they cannot control the people or they don't want anybody to control them? Or they all are out of control? Is that it?

Measures have to be taken to protect the " freedom" itself. Some measures may not be dersirable, because they may be drastic, they may even be against " human rights"

Myanmat is under the control of SPDC at the moment. In Myanmar there are various armed groups with their different causes fighting against Governments of Union of Myanmar. If United States and the UK and many other Europen nations are facing the same situation as Myanmar, I wonder what would they do to keep peace , law and order in theire respective countries.

Myanmar's neighbour Thailand is under the military rule. She is facing the muslims rebels in the south,

Ceasefire agreement and peace agreements are being made between SPDC and some of these armed gangs and yet parts of some of these armed are still very active.

New constitution for the future of Myanmar is almost federalism, and what more do these armed gangs wantt, only hey will know.

Security is paramount and to safeguard the nation and the freedom of the people. Authorities will do anything, will go any distance to make their country and their people free.

It is true that in Myanmar, some freedom are limited it is under tight control. One can say that there is no political freedom yet in Myanmar. But there is freedom in Myanmar that people refused to see. In Myanmar there is no killings or murders, robbing, looting, mugging or raping on the streets. There are no people in Myanmar free to live in vcard board boxes or die in there. Myanmar don't go out to other countries to kill other people in the name of freedom and democracy either, or to show they are not killing their own people, yet they keep bring in their people in bnody bags everyday. American mothrers and fathers wives and children are crying.

In Myanmar, no authorities accuse no group as cult or anybody of being a cult member and send in the troops and tanks and smashed any religious getherings to limit the religious activities( freedom). In Myanmar no Government had launched the smear campaign against any religion, against any religious leader has been charged for misappropiation of funds. In Myanmar nobody was summond before an enqueiry to deny they don't belong to or are not the member of some illegal organisations.

Today as soon as we open our eyes and switch on our television and radios. we are hearing what is happenning in the so called free world. The nations are lack of something or the other and the governments are doing one thing or another to correct or to amend or to reform. At the same time we are hearinging much of the negative things, who is killing who freely. In the United States, in the United Kingdom, somebody or the other is being killed , murdered, robbed, mugged, looted, raped etc., by armed gangs, by those who as young as 12 years old are holding guns freely.

People don't talk about these, about other countries as they accept them as if they are normal, a part of daily life as acceptables, but when it comes to Myanmar they make a drama of it, they don't accept it. If nothing happens in Myanmar they will tell tall tales as if everything is happenning in Myanmar, nowhere else.

The world media will exggerate the informations they greceived from those who oppose SPDC.

Let us hope and expect more constructive engagements , constructive demonstrations in Myanmar, as long as they are peaceful, and they are within the laws of the land.

Let us all be clear that we have a right to tell the rulars ( authorities) what we need, in proper manners. After all we are civilised people

Thunderbolts.

Dear Patriots,

I am glad some people remember me and the " is it the sign of democracy?"

There will be more demostrations without a doubt in Union of Myanmar in future, as long as they are in order and peaceful. They have to be welcomed. As Myanmar is goping towards democracy, there is no way to stop march , democracy or protest.

It is true, in Myanmar, prices are too high. it is also the tourist season, all the planes landed in Myanmar. Two third of these plain are packed with tourists from European and Scandinavia countries.

Besides, exception of goods imported from foreign lands. all otherb good are all home made such as rice, oil, salt, chilly, onion are products of Myanmar. Poutry,( farming ) fish ( farming ) and Veg as well. They are also sky high. Why? Because the producers are Myanmars and they are greedy. When SPDC raoises the salary, the business people raised the price of their goods. Myanmars are drowning in their own ponds, without the help of the outsiders.

The fact is SPDC government cannot effectively control these prices unless there is a demand by the people to do something about it.

This demonstration can be seen as " the authority" given by the people to the SPDC to do something about these high prices and living standard. If the SPDC does without these kind ofpeoples' demands, SPDC can be accused of anything from meddling the free markets to destrpying the smooth running market.

That is how democracy works. This demonstration can be seen as " constructive approach " not necessarily against SPDC. When there is a demand there must be supply, the supply must match the demand, in another way.

Politically we have seen many protests and demonstration against anything by thousands if not millions in the whole wide world, nobody took any notice of it, the authorities did what they wanted to do ignoring the people.

But, the rulars or the authorities in Myanmar have to make sure, what is behind all these demonstrations. It is always possible that the fox may be wearing the sheep skin, though the dead elephant cannot be covered by the goat skin.

Today Myanmar is relativly in peace. Some people have determined this peace must be destroyed. Because they cannot give any credit to SPDC.

In my view, this peace should not be disturbed, for the sake of the people, for the sake of the nation, not in the name of democracy, not in the name of human rights. This peace should be maintained, by every cotizen of the natio, for the sake of themselves, for the sake of the nation, for the sake of the democracy.

The people of Myanmar may not be as free as the people in the so called " free world". But when come to think of it. Freedom itself is always questionable.

In thecase of Myanmar, it is threatened by United States, United Kingdom and some European countries for many reasons and excuses, not necessarily lack of democracy or human rights in Myanmar.

When a nation is under such a threat, the rulars of that nation have to do whatever necessary to counter those threats including taken care of Americanphiles or Anglophiles in the country, the same is US or UK would do when they are under threat, incluiding to limit the human rights for some. They have to take necessary actions against the members of Alcada or the sypathizers of Alcada or the terrorists suspects.

What is freedom? Freedon is withing laws, rules, regulations and producedures. Are the people free to do what they like? Is it because the authorities can not control them, or the authoirities cannot keep the situation under control, etc. so they are allowed to do what they like , they are allowed to say what they like? The authorities also do what they like. What will authirities do, if that freedom is gone out of control?

The authorities take the credit by saying the people are free to do what they like, the people are free to say what they like , th country is free, this is free world. They say it just because they cannot control the people or they don't want anybody to control them? Or they all are out of control? Is that it?

Measures have to be taken to protect the " freedom" itself. Some measures may not be dersirable, because they may be drastic, they may even be against " human rights"

Myanmat is under the control of SPDC at the moment. In Myanmar there are various armed groups with their different causes fighting against Governments of Union of Myanmar. If United States and the UK and many other Europen nations are facing the same situation as Myanmar, I wonder what would they do to keep peace , law and order in theire respective countries.

Myanmar's neighbour Thailand is under the military rule. She is facing the muslims rebels in the south,

Ceasefire agreement and peace agreements are being made between SPDC and some of these armed gangs and yet parts of some of these armed are still very active.

New constitution for the future of Myanmar is almost federalism, and what more do these armed gangs wantt, only hey will know.

Security is paramount and to safeguard the nation and the freedom of the people. Authorities will do anything, will go any distance to make their country and their people free.

It is true that in Myanmar, some freedom are limited it is under tight control. One can say that there is no political freedom yet in Myanmar. But there is freedom in Myanmar that people refused to see. In Myanmar there is no killings or murders, robbing, looting, mugging or raping on the streets. There are no people in Myanmar free to live in vcard board boxes or die in there. Myanmar don't go out to other countries to kill other people in the name of freedom and democracy either, or to show they are not killing their own people, yet they keep bring in their people in bnody bags everyday. American mothrers and fathers wives and children are crying.

In Myanmar, no authorities accuse no group as cult or anybody of being a cult member and send in the troops and tanks and smashed any religious getherings to limit the religious activities( freedom). In Myanmar no Government had launched the smear campaign against any religion, against any religious leader has been charged for misappropiation of funds. In Myanmar nobody was summond before an enqueiry to deny they don't belong to or are not the member of some illegal organisations.

Today as soon as we open our eyes and switch on our television and radios. we are hearing what is happenning in the so called free world. The nations are lack of something or the other and the governments are doing one thing or another to correct or to amend or to reform. At the same time we are hearinging much of the negative things, who is killing who freely. In the United States, in the United Kingdom, somebody or the other is being killed , murdered, robbed, mugged, looted, raped etc., by armed gangs, by those who as young as 12 years old are holding guns freely.

People don't talk about these, about other countries as they accept them as if they are normal, a part of daily life as acceptables, but when it comes to Myanmar they make a drama of it, they don't accept it. If nothing happens in Myanmar they will tell tall tales as if everything is happenning in Myanmar, nowhere else.

The world media will exggerate the informations they greceived from those who oppose SPDC.

Let us hope and expect more constructive engagements , constructive demonstrations in Myanmar, as long as they are peaceful, and they are within the laws of the land.

Let us all be clear that we have a right to tell the rulars ( authorities) what we need, in proper manners. After all we are civilised people

Thunderbolts.

FYI, Latest info.
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Later in the day, authorities arrested four more protesters, bringing the total number of people in police custody to five, a home affairs ministry official and people close to the demonstration told AFP Saturday. afp/daily times

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