August 8: Exiled Burmese political activists and those within the country marked the 17th anniversary of pro-democracy nationwide uprising which started on 8.8.88, with religious and charitable acts and peaceful protests.

Activists within Burma carried out religious rites in memory of those who gave up their lives during the nationwide uprising for democracy and human rights in Burma. At Sagaing in central Burma near Mandalay, survivors of the uprising provided morning nourishment to more than 50 monks and offered prayer for the departed souls.

On 9.8.88, more than 300 people including women and children were killed by soldiers and police at Sagaing by the order of the then divisional authority chairman Thura Kyaw Zwa, while they were protesting peacefully around a police station. Cholay who was one of the demonstrators told DVB that what happened 17 years ago is still clear in his mind as if it happened yesterday.

Nationally, it is estimated that more than 3000 people including monks, women and children who were protesting peacefully on the streets, were killed by Burmese soldiers and security police within that year. Meanwhile, the authorities also imposed unfair restrictions on people so that they could not mark the event.

Local authorities at Yenangyaung in Magwe Division told people not to accept any donations from those who were involved in the 8888 uprising. A primary school was ordered by the authority chairman not to accept notebooks donated by a Buddhist monk because he was a participant of the uprising as a student.

The monk has been donating stationeries to the school for four years. At the same time, exiled Burmese activists in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, North America, Thailand, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand also staged peaceful protests outside Burmese embassies and held commemorative ceremonies.