Monks stage hunger strike in Bamaw prison

Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
September 29, 2007
Over 30 monks being detained in Bamaw prison have started a hunger
strike . They were later transferred to other prisons and separated on
September 27. The local authorities raided various monasteries in Bamaw
on September 25 night and arrested 108 monks. They were forcibly
disrobed and sent to prison. Since then, 30 monks have been staging a
hunger strike and over 100 monks are reciting the Sutra.
The authorities later sent them to Momauk and Mansi army lockups on September 27."The monks didn't accept alms and chanted Sutra. They were taken away in
buses on September 27 and sent to army lockups in Mnahsi and Momauk,
the prison staff told us," a relative of a monk told Mizzima.The authorities ordered beating and arresting of the monks from September
25 to 28 along with six local residents on September 25.
"They treated the monks very cruelly. The monks were arrested while they were
having alms offered by a lay disciple after winning the Myathepeik
religious lottery. They even forcibly disrobed a monk in that house," a
woman resident said.
We learnt that the NLD MP elected from the Bamaw constituency, poet Bamaw
Nyo New was transferred to a police lockup from prison but the
whereabouts and situation of other prisoners are not yet known.