Bangkok - The Myanmar government began its crackdown today in its cities against the constant barrage of protests as hundreds of monks were arrested by police as the two sides clashed in the streets.
An announcement was made stating that security forces fires at demonstators who failed to respond to orders to leave the area. The monks failed to disperse and because of that one of the menw as killed.
The police began to club the monks as well as sending tear-gas flying into the sky at the protesters to try and get them out of the city streets. The protests have been going on for ver a month now. Tens of thousands of chanting protesters flooded the streets even though the government warned of the impending crackdown and its consequences.
The government of Myanmar has sealed itself off to foreign reporters. News agencies though are stating that the death toll may be higher as around 5 to 7 men may have been killed. The peak of the protests were on Sunday when 100,000 people took part following the monks. The crackdown is a response to pelas around the world to try and put an end to the protests and violence.
Around 200 monks were reported to being arrested at the Shwedagon Pagoda.
The crowds were smaller than in previous days but were still made up of around 8,000 to 10,000 people who followed a group of 800 or so monks.
A spokesman for President George W. Bush, Gordon D. Johndroe stated “The United States is very troubled by the action of the junta against the Burmese people. We call on them to show restraint and to move to a peaceful transition to democracy.”
The United Nations Security Council has called a special meeting for 3 p.m. on Thursday to talk about the crisis.