Nine monks arrested in Rangoon (transcript)

Democratic Voice of Burma

Dear listeners, nine monks who are believed to preparing to depart from the Rangoon Railway Station to return to their districts for a refuge at their monasteries during the Waso Buddhist lent were arrested by authorities, according to an eyewitness.

The witness said the Railways Police arrested the nine monks as they arrived at the Rangoon Railway Station on 15 July. The monks were reported to have come separately and were at the railways station. They did not seem to know each other.

A resident of Rangoon who saw the incident had this to say:

[Begin unidentified male recording] The monks did not come as a group. They came separately and were at the railway station before the train departed. They appeared to be on their own and were not seen to be communicating with each other or doing something together. But, Railways Police arrived and arrested the nine monks and sent them to Insein Prison. That was in the evening of 15 July. The monks are now being locked up in Insein Prison. I do not know if any charges had been filed against them. [End recording]

The Democratic Voice of Burma is investigating the case and enquiring about the monasteries that the monks belong to and where they were heading for before their arrest.