Monks Hold Burmese Officials Hostage

Incident ends in release as protests of fuel price hikes rage

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 7, 2007 2:18 PM CDT

(Newser) – Hundreds of angry monks have released Burmese government officials they held hostage for over 5 hours yesterday, the Guardian reports, in protest of the military regime’s fuel price hikes. Reading Buddhist scriptures, nearly 500 monks burned the officials’ cars, locked them inside a monastery, and surrendered the prisoners only when a senior abbot intervened.

Cheering anti-government protesters swarmed around the monks, who are esteemed in the overwhelmibgly Buddhist society. The 20 government officials initially visited the monastery to apologize for the shots soldiers had fired to break up a demonstration. Protests have raged almost daily since the government doubled the price of gas and diesel last month.

Supporters of Myanmar's political dissident Aung San Suu Kyi march to a rally at a Sydney park Friday, Sept. 7, 2007. Demonstrations targeting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit of 21 leaders... (Associated Press)

Members of Myanmar pro-democracy group shout slogans during a demonstration in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007, against the military regime of the country. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) (Associated Press)

Protesters from Myanmar's National League for Democracy shout slogans during a rally calling for immediate release of their pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and denouncing Myanmar junta's policy... (Associated Press)

n. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man) (Associated Press)

In this photo released by Democratic Voice of Burma, a Myanmar man is carried on to a waiting truck after being arrested by plain cloths police officers during a protest in Yangon, Myanmar Tuesday, Aug.... (Associated Press)

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Monks Hold Burmese Officials Hostage

Incident ends in release as protests of fuel price hikes rage

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Young Burmese Monks Ready to Take Up Arms

Buddhist movement gets bolder; some suggest stockpiling weapons

Burma Protests a 'Success,' Says Buddhist Leader

Famed anti-Vietnam agitator supports monks on US tour

Junta Issues Curfew to Stem Protests

Monks vow to keep marching as government sends troops to rally sites

Obama to Myanmar: Free Suu Kyi

First direct appeal for pro-democracy leader's release

50 Years On, Tibet's Secret War Simmers

Dalai Lama's brother was key to CIA-backed anti-China insurgency

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