Monks were quizzed and released, sa

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Subject: Monks were quizzed and released, says SLORC


 26/3 Reuter         Monks were quizzed and released, says SLORC


              YANGON -- A Myanmar government source yesterday acknowledged a
              Sunday-night incident in which at least 100 militant Buddhist
monks
              stoned a mosque frequented by Indonesian embassy staff in western
              Yangon, but denied that any had been detained. 

              Eyewitnesses reported earlier that security forces rounded up
about 100
              monks after the incident and hauled them away. 

              "We haven't arrested anyone and only a handful of monks were
taken in
              to answer questions and then released," the government source
said. 

              The incident, observed by hundreds of residents in the mixed but
              mostly Buddhist neighbourhood, was confirmed as more
              Buddhist-Muslim troubles were reported yesterday near Yangon
with the
              government beefing up security in the capital around
monasteries and
              other religious sites. 

              In the stoning incident, witnesses said that although the
monks were not
              seen entering the mosque, security personnel took them away to an
              unknown destination. 

              The unrest in Myanmar was sparked in the northern city of
Mandalay last
              weekend by a group of monks protesting against the release of
Muslims
              said to be involved in the alleged attempted rape of a young
Buddhist
              girl. 

              Failing to gain satisfaction from the authorities, the monks
proceeded to
              vandalise nearby Muslim property and mosques. 

              Religious Affairs Minister Lieutenant-General Myo Nyunt urged
Buddhist
              monks on Sunday to teach young monks good conduct and to remember
              to follow religious principles. 

              Myanmar is 90 per cent Buddhist and about 4 per cent Muslim. Its
              430,000 monks play a key role in this deeply religious country. 

              They have in the past lent their support to political and
social causes. --
              AFP, Reuter.