"They are killing our monks"

The military raided monasteries last night in Burma (aka Myanmar) and apparently arrested an undetermined number of monks. Schools are shut, and there are reports that the military is shooting in the crowds in Rangoon (Yangon) and possibly Mandalay as well.

As the BBC says,

A monk at Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery pointed to bloodstains on the concrete floor and said a number of monks were beaten and at least 100 of its 150 monks taken away in vehicles. Shots were fired in the air during the chaotic raid, he said on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

"Soldiers slammed the monastery gate with the car, breaking the lock and forcing it into the monastery," the monk said. "They smashed the doors down, broke windows and furniture. When monks resisted, they shot at the monks and used tear gas and beat up the monks and dragged into trucks."

Empty bullet shells, broken doors, furniture and glass peppered the bloodstained, concrete floor of the monastery.

A female lay disciple said a number of monks also were arrested at the Moe Gaung monastery, which was being guarded by soldiers. Both monasteries are located in Yangon's northern suburbs.

Nonetheless, and despite a smaller number of monks on the street, the marches continue. According to bloggers - unconfirmed still - and emails to the BBC there is shooting and tear gas. "Things are bad in Rangoon," one blogger says. "They are killing our monks," says another, "help us, please."

This time, unlike 1988, the world is watching - the Internet gets things out. What effect that will have, if any - Burma is already pretty well ostracized - and whether anything but watching will take place, remains to be seen.