MYANMAR: Former activists, politicians and Buddhist monks, commemorate in Buddhist ceremony for lives lost in Myanmar's historic 8888 uprising

Record ID: 574616

  • Title: MYANMAR: Former activists, politicians and Buddhist monks, commemorate in Buddhist ceremony for lives lost in Myanmar's historic 8888 uprising
  • Date: 9th August 2010
  • Summary: YANGON, MYANMAR (AUGUST 8, 2010) (REUTERS) BUDDHA IMAGE IN A MONASTERY (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) FORMER 1988'S ACTIVIST STUDENTS AND POLITICIANS AT BUDDHIST CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE THOSE LOST IN 8888 INCIDENTS VARIOUS SENIOR BUDDHIST MONK OF THE MONASTERY LEADING PRAYER BUDDHA IMAGE PARTICIPANTS BOWING (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) KYI KYI NYUNT, ELDER SISTER MIN KO NAING, STUDENTS' LEADER 8888 UPRISING, SAYING: "We would like to share the merit we made today for all those who took part in the 8888 uprising." VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS POURING WATER, AS BUDDHIST MERIT MAKING TRIBUTION AND COMMEMORATION TO THEIR COMRADES WHO KILLED IN THE CRACKDOWN (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) THAN NYEIN, CHAIRMAN OF NEWLY FORMED, NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FORCE SAYING, "The 8888 Uprising is just the day when people openly expressed their needs for democracy. I think people in that day are our inspiration to carry on the task of struggling relentlessly for democracy." PARTICIPANTS SHARING FOOD IN THE MONASTERY
  • Embargoed: 24th August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Myanmar
  • Country: Burma (Myanmar)
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8TAA35P63YTBI8CSSORJ2INM0
  • Story Text: Dozens of former student activists, politician and Buddhist monks, some of them just were released from prison make a merit on Sunday (August 8) making in Buddhist ceremony tribute to their late comrades who lost lives in Myanmar's historic 8888 uprising.
    The Buddhist prayer commemoration is held quietly in a monastery outskirts of Yangon on Sunday.
    On 8 August 1988, known as 8888, hundreds of thousands of people - monks, young children, university students, housewives, and doctors - demonstrated against the regime across the country, calling for democracy in the former Burma.
    The uprising ended on September 18 after a military coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council, known as SLORC, led by General Saw Muang. The SLOC allegedly ordered a violent crackdown on the protest.
    "We would like to share the merit we made today for all those who took part in the 8888 uprising," said Kyi Kyi Nyunt, elder sister of 8888 students leader, Min Ko Naing, who just released from second detention early last year from a total of 15 years in political prison since 1988. Min Ko Naing is not presence at the commemoration.
    "The 8888 Uprising is just the day when people openly expressed their needs for democracy. I think the people in that days are our inspiration to carry on the task of struggling relentlessly for democracy," said Than Nyein, chairman of newly formed political party, National Democratic Force, a splitting opposition group from the main opposition National League for Democracy.
    The National Democratic Force is comprising of NLD's members, register to contest general election which expect to be held around the end of this year.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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