Dhaka:   Burmese monks in exile staged a protest on Saturday in front of the Burmese embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh, against the forthcoming referendum to approve the constitution, with some monks striking their arms and drawing blood that was smeared on white protest banners.

The protest was conducted by the International Burmese Monks Organization, Bangladesh branch, and was the biggest protest yet staged by Burmese in exile in Bangladesh.

Ashion Maygiya, president of the monk organization, said, "Our programme is successful and we were able to stage our protest in front of the Burmese embassy and express our feelings regarding the referendum to the Burmese military government."

Many Bangladesh police constables blocked the road leading to the Burmese embassy to prevent the demonstrators from marching onto the front of the building. The monks, however, paid no heed to the road block and marched on to the embassy while shouting anti-referendum slogans.

U Thuriya, who is an active monk of the organization, said, "We came here to protest against the Burmese government which is now preparing to hold the referendum for approving their constitution. The constitution is not useful for our country and will be dangerous for our people in the future. The constitution is only for the army to rule Burma perpetually.

How can we accept the constitution? So we staged a protest by punching our arms for blood to vow to fight until Burma is a democracy."

U Thuriya and some other monks smeared their blood on some of the banners in being carried after striking their arms, while some staff from the Burmese embassy watched the goings on with interest.

The demonstration was staged for two hours in front of the embassy, beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 4.

Over 60 Burmese, including monks and women, participated in the protest, and the diplomatic area near the Burmese embassy was resonated with the protesters' shouts and slogans.