Monks in Sittwe are stifled from loss of freedom as Burmese military junta authorities watch them closely whenever they move around the city, said a monk.

"Since many intelligence officials and informers are monitoring us closely in Sittwe we have lost all of our freedom. We have no chance right now to go anywhere freely," the monk said.

The monks in Sittwe are worst affected during food offerings, when intelligence officers follow them on motorcycles.

"In Sittwe, monks usually walk on the streets in groups of 10 or 20 from a monastery to receive food offerings. During such times, the officials follow us on motorbikes to see what we are doing," he said.

The regime began the surveillance after monks staged a demonstration against the Burmese military government in Sittwe during their traditional food offering procession on September 27, 2008.

"The authorities are worried that another demonstration will be staged and during food offering time of monks in Sittwe officials on motorcycles are following them," the monk said.

Security has been tightened in general in Sittwe, but security forces are dressed in plain clothes in an attempt to operate clandestinely among the public in the city.

According to a local eyewitness many officials from the police, military intelligence, or Sarafa, and the army are wearing plainclothes while patrolling Sittwe on motorcycles to prevent any further demonstrations by monks.

Monks in Sittwe declared publicly in September that they would stage anti-regime demonstrations to continue the Saffron Revolution in Sittwe for the people of Burma. It is because of this declaration that the authorities continue to monitor activities of monks.