Over 15,000 forced to join junta-led demonstration
October 31, 2007KNG
Over 15,000 people were forced to participate in a Burmese junta-led demonstration in Kachin State, Northern Burma by the authorities, said those who attended. A bicycle-rickshaw driver was coerced into burning a picture of US President George W Bush.
One person from each family in Waingmaw city were directed to join the demonstration to counter the recent monk-led demonstrations across the country, by the junta's Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) Chairman, U Min Kyi and the Special Branch police security forces of the city, the villagers told KNG today.
People from all villages in Waingmaw including some villagers eight miles away from the city had to march to Waingmaw downtown from their villages shouting slogans, carrying posters and loudspeakers in keeping with the junta's plans. The demonstration started at 7 a.m. and ended at 9:30 a.m. local time on October 25, according to participants.
At the demonstration, 13 year old children and 60 year old people were seen. Some of them were from Nongtarlaw, Makhanti, Ga Ra Yang, Shwe Nyaungpyin, Khatcho, Washong, Wayan and Mukchyik, the villagers added.
During the demonstration, the protesters had to shout slogans against US's economic sanctions and overseas Burmese radio services such as the BBC, VOA, DVB and RFA. A bicycle-rickshaw driver was forced to burn a picture of US President George W Bush, participants said.
The demonstrators also slogans supporting the junta's seven-step road map to ''disciplined democracy'' and the outcome of the National Convention (NC), the participants added.
The villagers who refused to join the demonstration were threatened with severe action by the authorities, the villagers in Ga Ra Yang told KNG today.
On September 29, over 20,000 people in Kachin State were forced to attend the a rally supporting the outcome of the NC in Myitkyina, Capital of Kachin State on the direct orders of Commander Maj-Gen Ohn Myint of Kachin State.
The Waingmaw USDA Chairman U Min Kyi was the key person who had organized the mass NC rally in Myitkyina in last month, said residents.Several Chairmen of Village Administration (Ya-Ya-Ka) ran away from the demonstration giving different excuses to the junta's Waingmaw administration (Ma-Ya-Ka).
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