Hundreds of monks monks used the Dec.8 Myanmar’s National Day to express their dissent for the violent actions by police on monks and other civilians at the Lapadaung copper mine. On Nov.29, hundreds of police and security forces used incendiary devices to break up a large protest camp resulting in over 90 monks being hospitalized.
The construction for mine has recently started in Lapadaung Mountains, near Monywa, in Upper Burma. The investors - a joint venture between China’s Wan Bao Company and military-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (UMEHL) - have been accused of destroying crop fields and Buddhist shrines, polluting clean water sources, and seizing 3,150 hectares of land from the surrounding villages.
Monks in Yangon, Mandalay, and Monywa gathered on the public holiday to condemn the excessive force used by police against Lapadaung demonstrations.
Protesters warned that the rallies will continue if their demands are not met. They want all those arrested released, the government to publically condemn the violence and the copper mine to be stopped. Yesterday, 8 protestors who were arrested were released. The government has appointed a 16-member investigation commission headed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to look into the incident. They are required to report their findings by Dec.31, and also expected to advise the government whether or not the mine should be allowed to operate.
