Saffron Revolution: One Year Ago

In August 2007, the government of Burma (Myanmar) steeply raised the price of gas. As a result, costs for transportation and food staples also increased sharply. Pro-democracy activists began to lead demonstrations; many were promptly arrested.

On September 5, 2007, some Buddhist monks joined a demonstration in Pakokku, a regional center about 370 miles north of Yangon. The peaceful demonstration was broken up violently by police. Eyewitnesses said three monks were tied to telephone polls and beaten with rifle butts. Ten monks were arrested.

Later that day monks somehow captured more than ten high-ranking government and military officials in Pakokku and held them hostage, demanding the release of the arrested monks. The hostages were released unharmed after six hours, but the monks demanded the government apologize, giving a deadline of September 17.

When the deadline expired without apology, tens of thousands of monks took to the streets in Yangon and elsewhere to demonstrate against the government. Laypeople lined the streets to support and protect the orange-robed monks as they marched by, chanting the Metta Sutta. More demonstrations were held around the world in support of the Saffron Revolution.

By late September, the government began to retaliate, with police charging the monks with tear gas and clubs. Monasteries were raided. There were reports of hundreds of monks arrested and sent to prison camps. Many monks fled across the borders into Thailand or India. To this day, the number of casualties is unknown.