Burmese military junta authorities have been forcing local monks studying in Rangoon to go back to their home town monasteries before the beginning of the Waso lent period.  Over 100 monks have now arrived at monasteries in their hometowns, including the Ye, Sein Ma Ma and Sin Phyu monasteries.  

Rangoon authorities last week ordered monasteries to send home monks who had lived there for a short time. The order stated that those monks must be told to go before the Waso lent period.  

In keeping with Buddhist teachings, every monk must reside in the monastery in the beginning of the Waso lent period, during which they are not permitted to travel outside the monastery without permission from their head monks.  

Monks from Bahan Township, near the Shwe Dagon Pagoda, told Kaowao that these measures were most likely aimed at reducing the number of monks in Rangoon and to separate them before August.  August this year marks 20 years of the '88 uprising' of 1988, while September will mark one year of last year's 'Saffron Revolution'.

According to newly arrived monks in Moulmein from Rangoon, the authorities ordered monasteries to house no more than 10 registered monks and guests.  Township authorities in Rangoon will let only five guests stay at each monastery, and not allow any regional monks to begin their studies in Rangoon from July.