In Moulmein, last night, 50 university students gathered in protest at electricity cuts during the tenth grade exams and at the student living quarters.

At eight pm, on March 8th, these university students arrived by motorcycle at Ngante electricity station, which distributes power to Moulmein, Mon State’s capital.

“We have not had electricity for two days. This was a problem for the 10th grade student’s exams and also for the upcoming university exams. We can’t do anything if we don’t have electricity,” said a student who participated in the protest.

When the students arrived at Ngante Station, they shouted their demands, threw stones and revved their motorcycle engines to get attention.

Ten minutes later, the group moved to the Mandalay Quarter Township Electricity Department, and repeated their protest. Making noise and demanding electricity, they stated for fifteen minutes and then returned to Ngante Station.

Students also threw stones at the home of the electricity department manager. Windows were broken, but as of yet, there has been no repercussions to the students.

“We want to receive electricity in time for our exams, and now the electricity came back this morning,” said one student.

Now, the tenth grade students have started their exams and the University students are set to take their exams during the last week of March.

Hostels in Myaing-tha-yar Quarter, near Moulmein University, have served as the primary residences for students since Burma’s military junta abolished on-campus dormitories in 1996.

Two years ago, on March 9, 2009, around 100 students staged protests in Moulmein complaining about the lack of electricity during their exams. Their protest elicited Burmese authorities to order hostel owners to purchase generators and the electricity returned.

Though authorities blamed hostel owners two years ago, this year, the Burmese authorities made no statements to them. Some students involved in the protests were also part of the 2009 protests, and they expressed no fear in protesting this time as their protest two years ago was successful.