Nuns join anti-junta rallies

September 24, 2007 RANGOON: About 10,000 Buddhist monks, joined for the first time by more than 1000 nuns, demonstrated against Burma's military junta in the country's largest city yesterday, with many shouting support for the detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Prayers … Aung San Suu Kyi pays obeisance to the monks

The monks marched from Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon, devoutly Buddhist Burma's holiest shrine, to the nearby Sule Pagoda before passing the US embassy.

Some chanted "Release Suu Kyi" while a crowd of 10,000 protected them by forming a human chain along the route.

It was the sixth day monks have marched in Rangoon, and came a day after they were allowed to walk past Ms Suu Kyi's compound as she emerged to pray with the monks for about 15 minutes.

Their activities have given new life to a protest movement that began a month ago after the Government raised fuel prices. The protests seem to be escalating with the monks now urging civilians to take part after earlier telling them not to get involved.

Associated Press, Reuters

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