Sittwe: Monks in Arakan State are facing severe restrictions imposed by the Burmese junta authorities, while travelling to Rangoon or Burma proper from Arakan State, a monk said.
“We are facing restrictions imposed by local authorities wherever we go. The authorities ask several questions about our travel such as “why are you going there?”, “where is your resident monastery? “ “Do you have a monk ID card?” among other questions,” the monk said.
In the past, the authorities had imposed many restrictions on the monks in Arakan State during and after the Saffron Revolution. However, it lifted the restrictions for monks in the beginning of 2008.
“The authorities imposed restrictions against us recently and I think it is related to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s arrest and subsequent trail. They know that monks around the country, resent the recent action meted out by the military regime to democracy icon Daw Suu Kyi,” said the monk.
Most intelligence and police officials, who are monitoring bus stations, jetties and check posts throughout Arakan State, have been questioning the monks without fail.
Another monk from Sittwe, who recently visited Rangoon by bus said, “The police first asked for my monk ID card and secondly they asked me about the travelling testimony issued by the Township Thinga (monk) Council, when I reached Shwe Pyi Thit bus station in Sittwe to depart for Rangoon.”
“I showed my ID card, but I could not show the travelling testimony of the Township Monk Council. So, the police official requested me to contact senior monks from the Township Monk Council over the telephone. After a senior monk’s verbal permission, I could travel to Rangoon,” the monk added.
Many monks are now facing such restrictions, after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was sent to Insein prison for trail.
A clerk from Sittwe bus station said that it was not usual for the authorities to question monks. When it starts suspecting monks, it is then that they ask them several questions and also ask them to furnish their travelling testimony.
Meanwhile, with the monsoon to begin soon, the monks have to go to their monsoon retreat (sojourn during the Buddhist Lent).
Demonstrations staged by monks, against the military regime, have occurred in Arakan State in the past. So, the authorities have beefed up security for monks in Arakan State.
