Summary of Events in Burma (Myanmar) on September 26I'm updating this post as information comes in. . .
Last update: 23:30 in Bangkok (23:00 in Rangoon)
Evening
Junta has imposed a night curfew in Rangoon.(DVB)
At least 2 monks killed today in Rangoon (BBC confirmed). A Burmese person emailed the BBC to report that 5 monks had been killed in the city.
Troops deployed outside of six monasteries (BBC).
All phone lines cut in some parts of the city (BBC).
Late afternoon
Rangoon: Warning shots fired at protestors near Sule Pagoda. . . The protestors started throwing sticks and rocks, which drew no response from troops, so the protestors moved forward, leading the security forces to shoot again. Two shots were fired, but the protestors continued to advance, at which point the military fired machine gun rounds over the protestors’ heads. (DVB)
Afternoon
Rangoon: About 30,000 people assembled in the vicinity of Sule pagoda earlier today, including around 2,000 monks. Crackdowns by security forces at around 1pm dispersed the protestors, who then tried to march from Bogyoke road to Sule pagoda in small groups to reassemble, but were stopped by government forces. (DVB)
Rangoon: soldiers armed with sticks came from two military trucks and attacked a group of 15 to 20 monks at the Traders Hotel junction of Sule pagoda road. (DVB)
Rangoon, downtown; two monks and one nun were reportedly shot by military forces near Sule Pagoda on Wednesday afternoon, according to a witness. (Irrawaddy)
One person was killed and five wounded by bullets in Yangon, a hospital source said, but it was not known whether any of the victims were monks, who have been at the forefront of the demonstrations. At least two witnesses saw the bloodied body of a monk being carried away after security forces stopped one procession as the city centre seethed with tens of thousands of people rebelling against decades of military rule. (Reuters)
Three monks were reportedly shot by military and riot forces on Wednesday afternoon in Ahlone Township - a suburb of Rangoon (Irrawaddy)
Mandalay; Military troops fired warning shots and used tear gas in an effort to disperse tens of thousands of monks who marched through Burma's second largest city.. (Irrawaddy). Another report indicated that for the most part, soldiers stayed clear of the protestors in Mandalay (BBC).
Early afternoon
Rangoon, downtown; —At least two protestors were shot by security forces in downtown Rangoon near Sule Pagoda on Wednesday afternoon. One protestor reportedly died, according to people who took part in the demonstration. The source said the soldiers continued firing at the demonstrators, who numbered several thousand. (Irrawaddy)
Noon
Bahan, Rangoon; Security forces at Rangoon’s Shwedagon Pagoda struck out at demonstrators Wednesday noon, arresting about 50 protesting monks and attacking several hundred other monks and supporters. Tear gas was used to break up the demonstrations. Other protesters were gathering in another area of the Pagoda, according to eyewitnesses, who also saw a Western embassy car in the area. (Irrawaddy)
Security authorities used tear gas and force to break up a peaceful demonstration by about 50 monkson Wednesday morning at Rangoon’s Shwedagon Pagoda. The monks were beaten and bundled into waiting army trucks. The whereabouts of the arrested monks is unknown. (Irrawaddy)
Soldiers with assault rifles have sealed off sacred Buddhist monasteries such as Shwedagon Pagoda and Sule Pagoda, as well as other flashpoints of anti-government protests. (Irrawaddy)
Early morning
Rangoon; Burmese authorities have arrested several key players who have been supporting the peaceful demonstrations and offering alms to monks, according to sources in Rangoon. (Irrawaddy)
Late last night
military trucks spirited away 250 men in robes to unknown destinations. Quite a few were beaten up by soldiers. . . . More than 250 Buddhist monks belonging to four major monasteries in Myitkyina and Bhamo, the two major cities in Kachin State, Northern Burma, were detained in a midnight raid yesterday by security personnel, said residents.(KNG)
Several celebrities and political figures arrested, others went into hiding. . . (more at Irrawaddy)
The military government ordered a curfew beginning Tuesday night and several soldiers have taken up positions in Rangoon, including the area around Sule Pagoda. (Irrawaddy)
Soldiers have taken up positions at several locations around Mandalay and authorities enforced a curfew on Tuesday night.
Related to today's news:
Citizen's photos of protests from the past week and an incredible map showing "locations of peaceful protests in Burma." (New Mandala)
It is reported that troops of the Kachin militia group, the Rebellion Resistance Force (RRF) from Northern Burma have been airlifted in military aircrafts to Naypyitaw, the new capital of the country since early this month, said local sources. (KNG)
International: Russia, India, and China are calling the Burmese situation "an internal matter." (BBC) Burma's closest neighbour -- also one of the world's great Buddhist nations -- Thailand, was extremely slow to issue any kind of statement. Today Thailand said that it was "concerned." (TJS and BP blog Thai-Burmese relations)
- Above map of Burma and Rangoon from BBC website.
Update 9/27:
Mizzima is another website that has timeline for 9/26. It's based on reports they received from Burma.
