At least 9 protesters killed, 11 wounded in Myanmar

September 28, 2007

According to Burma's government, the military has killed at least nine protesters and wounded 42 others in their second day crackdown on peaceful demonstrations that have been taking place for nearly almost a month. At least one monk is rumored to have been killed and a 50-year-old Japanese journalist was also killed.

Witnesses on scene claim that troops fired into the crowd of 10,000 "pro-democracy" protesters with automatic weapons in an attempt to break up the crowds. The military sent troops through the city street warning protesters that they would use deadly force if they did not stop their demonstrations.

Some media agencies in the area claim that the protesters are to blame for the violence, accusing them of "intimidating" the military, and injuring at least 31 troops.

On September 27, at least 200 monks were arrested in Myanmar during night-time raids on monasteries not long before sunrise. 100 of those monks were taken by security forces when they raided a monastery at Ngwe Kyaryan.

The protests in Burma began last month after the military abruptly raised fuel prices by 100 percent. They have since expanded into countrywide demonstrations against 45 uninterrupted years of military rule.