(19 Sep 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of monks walking along main road in heavy rain
2. Wide side shot of monks walking along road in heavy rain
3. Top shot of monks walking around corner
4. Mid of monks walking through street
STORYLINE
Buddhist monks staged anti-government protests in Myanmar on Wednesday for the second day, witnesses said.
Around 500 monks marching in disciplined ranks, temporarily took over Sule pagoda, after being turned away from their first gathering point, the golden hilltop Shwedagon pagoda, whose gates had also been locked to keep them out.
The Yangon march and rallies in other cities on Wednesday were to protest hardship brought on by the government's economic policies, in particular a sudden, major hike in fuel prices last month that first sparked the persistent demonstrations.
Crowds following the monks cheered and clapped in expressions of popular support that had been lacking at smaller demonstrations carried out by laymen last month.
The rallies also reflect long pent-up opposition to the repressive military regime.
Monks in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, have historically been at the forefront of protests - first against British colonialism and later military dictatorship.
They also played a prominent part in the failed 1988 pro-democracy rebellion.
Authorities know that restraining monks poses a dilemma: monks are highly respected in the predominantly Buddhist Myanmar: abusing them in any manner could cause public outrage.
Tuesday marked the 19th anniversary of the 1988 crackdown in Myanmar in which the current junta took over after crushing a failed pro-democracy rebellion that sought an end to military rule, imposed since 1962.
The junta held a general election in 1990, but refused to honour the results when pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won.
Suu Kyi has been detained under house arrest for more than 11 years.

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