Farmers in rare Myanmar protest
- 13 years ago
Around 60 landless farmers take part in a rare protest in Myanmar's biggest city of Yangon.
Public sit-ins like this are unusual, and are a test of the new civilian government's commitment to reform after decades of brutal suppression of dissent.
These famers from suburbs east of the city claim the government has seized their land.
One man says the protest is their last resort.
(SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) PROTESTER PHO PHYU, SAYING:
"The farmers have explored every legal avenue but it has been in vain. So we were forced to take to the streets to show our strength."
Riot police quickly dispersed the protesters - but the lack of violence may be a sign that things have changed.
About half of the Burmese workforce is employed in the agriculture sector.
But evictions are common, and farmers have little legal recourse to launch any challenge.
Travis Brecher, Reuters
Public sit-ins like this are unusual, and are a test of the new civilian government's commitment to reform after decades of brutal suppression of dissent.
These famers from suburbs east of the city claim the government has seized their land.
One man says the protest is their last resort.
(SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) PROTESTER PHO PHYU, SAYING:
"The farmers have explored every legal avenue but it has been in vain. So we were forced to take to the streets to show our strength."
Riot police quickly dispersed the protesters - but the lack of violence may be a sign that things have changed.
About half of the Burmese workforce is employed in the agriculture sector.
But evictions are common, and farmers have little legal recourse to launch any challenge.
Travis Brecher, Reuters