Protesters in Burma Call for Democracy

Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Burmese cities Monday, demanding democracy and a new government on the first day of a nationwide general strike, diplomatic and news reports said.

Diplomats in the capital of Rangoon said that about 20,000 people gathered outside the Rangoon General Hospital, a center of protest, for the largest demonstration there since the street protests of Aug. 8-12 that forced the resignation of hard-line President Sein Lwin. Security forces killed more than 100 people during those protests.

A Western diplomat said that 3,000 to 4,000 people shouted anti-government slogans outside the U.S. Embassy, but soldiers and barricades stopped them from marching down the street.

No violence was reported Monday. Witnesses said that large numbers of soldiers, the most seen in recent days, manned barricades while armored cars patrolled the capital.

The Japanese news agency Kyodo said thousands of people demonstrated in the northern city of Mandalay. The marchers, some carrying the flag of the last democratically elected government, which was ousted in 1962, called for a nationwide general strike against the military-dominated regime of the Burma Socialist Program Party.

Many train and bus operators joined the strike, halting public transport in Burma’s second-largest city, Kyodo said.

There were sketchy reports of demonstrations in other parts of the country.

The protests marked the first time that members of Burma’s upper and middle classes had joined students and workers in significant numbers. The national outpouring also appeared to dash government hopes that new President Maung Maung would be granted a honeymoon to solve the country’s political and economic woes.

Diplomats said that most people went to work despite the strike, with most shops in Rangoon open.

Kyodo said students, Buddhist monks, public servants and professionals were among demonstrators at the hospital in Rangoon. It said they held banners and shouted slogans, including “Down with one-party dictatorship!” and “Now more than ever democracy!”

Some attempted a one-mile march to the Sule Pagoda, where huge rallies were held Aug. 8-12, but up to 15 truckloads of soldiers were parked in front of it.

“When about half of those taking part in the rally set out to march, they were blocked by soldiers,” an Asian diplomat said.

“We’ve heard that the soldiers sent marchers running away, but there have been no reports of any injuries or deaths. From what I observed, those taking part in the rally were generally . . . peaceful and the soldiers also seemed to be holding back.”

At Victoria Point, at the Thai border in the south, about 10,000 people marched to the town hall Monday shouting anti-government slogans, a Thai police official said.