This article details the chronology of events in the 2007 Burmese anti-government protests.

Timeline

Prologue Prior to the summer protests, there had been growing unease in the population regarding the economic distress of the country which has stagnant economic growth and is ranked among the 20 poorest countries in the world according to the United Nations.Michael Casey, Monks Put Myanmar Junta in Tight Spot, Associated Press, September 21, 2007. Many, including the United Nations have blamed the economic problems on the inept leadership of the military junta that spends large amount of money maintaining one of the world's largest armies (said to total more than half the country's annual budget).The hardship that sparked Burma's unrest BBC, 02/10/07 In late 2006, the cost of basic commodities began rising sharply in Burma with rice, eggs, and cooking oil increasing by 30-40%. According to the UN, one in three children is chronically malnourished, government spending on health and education is among the lowest anywhere in the world, and the average income is below $300 a year. Living a privileged, parallel existence, Burma's military forces appear virtually a "state within a state", subject to none of the severe economic insecurity that afflicts the rest of the country. Many of the high ranking army generals have become immensely rich; as witnessed in the video of the wedding of senior general Than Shwe's daughter, who is shown wearing diamonds worth many millions of dollars.The hardship that sparked Burma's unrest BBC News October 2, 2007Burma leader's lavish lifestyle aired BBC, 02/11/2006

According to the BBC, on February 22, 2007, a small group of individuals protested the current state of consumer prices in the country. While the protest was small and careful not to be seen as directed at the military junta, officials jailed nine of the protesters. it was the first street protest seen in Rangoon for at least a decade.

August 15 - Removal of fuel subsidies On August 15, 2007, the government removed subsidies on fuel causing a rapid and unannounced increase in prices. The government, which has a monopoly on fuel sales, raised prices of fuel from about $1.40 to $2.80 a gallon, and boosted the price of natural gas by about 500%. This increase in fuel prices led to an increase in food prices. Soon afterwards, protesters took to the streets to protest the current conditions.

While the International Monetary Fund and World Bank had been recommending the lifting of subsidies for some time to allow for a free market to determine fuel prices,Fuel price policy explodes in MyanmarThe Economic Factors Behind the Myanmar Protests these organizations did not recommend removing all of the subsidies unannounced. The fuel is sold by Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, a state-owned fuel company.

Initial demonstrations In response to the increase in fuel prices, citizens protested in demonstrations beginning on August 15. In response to the protests, the government began arresting and beating demonstrators. The government arrested 13 prominent Burmese dissidents including Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Min Zeya, Ko Jimmy, Pyone Cho, Arnt Bwe Kyaw and Ko Mya Aye.Glenn Kessler, U.S. Condemns Burmese Arrests Of 13 Dissidents: Sharp Increases in Prices Spur Protests Washington Post, August 23, 2007 The government newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported that these individuals' actions caused civil unrest that "was aimed at undermining peace and security of the State and disrupting the ongoing National Convention. The United States condemned the arrest of these dissidents on August 22 with the State Department's acting spokesman stating "The United States calls for the immediate release of these activists and for an end of the regime's blatant attempt to intimidate and silence those who are engaged in peaceful promotion of democracy and human rights in Burma...We call on the regime to engage in a meaningful dialogue with the leaders of Burma's democracy movement and ethnic minority groups and to make tangible steps toward a transition to civilian democratic rule."

On September 5, 2007, Burmese troops forcibly broke up a peaceful demonstration in Pakokku and injured three monks. The next day, other monks later took government officials as hostages in retaliation.Q&A: Protests in Burma BBC, September 24, 2007 They demanded an apology by the deadline of September 17, but the military refused to apologize. This sparked protests involving increasing numbers of monks in conjunction with the withdrawal of religious services for the military. Their role in the protests has been significant due to the reverence paid to them by the civilian population and the military. After these events, protests began spreading across Myanmar, including Yangon (also known as Rangoon), Sittwe, Pakokku and Mandalay.Monks lead largest Burma protest BBC, September 24, 2007.

Escalation On September 22, around two thousand monks marched through Yangon and ten thousand through Mandalay, with other demonstrations in five townships across Myanmar. Those marching through the capital were allowed to pass the house of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.20,000 march in Myanmar protest . Although still under house arrest, Suu Kyi made a brief public appearance at the gate of her residence to accept the blessings of the Buddhist monks.

On September 23, 150 nuns joined the protests in Yangon. On that day, some 15,000 Buddhist monks and laymen marched through the streets of Yangon in the sixth day of escalating peaceful protests against the Burmese military regime.Monks' protest swells The Bangkok Post, September 23, 2007. The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks have vowed to continue the protests until the Burmese military junta is deposed.

September 24

On September 24, eyewitnesses reported between 30,000 and 100,000 people demonstrating in Yangon, making the event the largest Burmese anti-government protest in twenty years.100,000 protest Myanmar junta CNN, September 24, 2007. BBC reported that two locally well-known actors, comedian Zargana and film star Kyaw Thu, went to Yangon's golden Shwedagon Pagoda early on Monday to offer food and water to the monks before they started their march. The marches occurred simultaneously in at least 25 cities across Myanmar, with columns of monks stretching up to .US to impose new Burma sanctions BBC, September 24, 2007. At the end of the march, approximately 1,000 monks arrived to greet Aung San Suu Kyi's home but were denied access by police. They chanted prayers before peacefully moving off. Later that day, the military junta's Minister for Religion, Brigadier General Thura Myint Maung, warned the Buddhist monks leading the protests not to go beyond their "rules and regulations".

Meanwhile, U.S. President George W. Bush was expected to introduce further unilateral sanctions against the Burmese leaders during his speech to the UN General Assembly. It has been noted that the Bush administration hopes to further embolden the protesters and encourage other countries to follow its lead. The Dalai Lama of Tibet also gave his blessing to the monks in their bid for greater freedom and democracy.

September 25

On September 25, the junta threatened demonstrators with military force and placed army trucks at Shwedagon Pagoda, the assembly point for monks leading the protests. Witnesses said 5,000 monks and laypeople still marched into the Shwedagon. Civilians were forming a human shield around the monks; Reuters quotes one eyewitness: "They are marching down the streets, with the monks in the middle and ordinary people either side - they are shielding them, forming a human chain."Burmese riot police attack monks BBC News, 09/10/07 Vehicles mounted with loudspeakers toured central Yangon, blaring warnings of military action. "People are not to follow, encourage or take part in these marches. Action will be taken against those who violate this order," the broadcasts said, invoking a law allowing the use of military force to break up illegal protests.Myanmar junta threatens military force Reuters, September 25, 2007. Reuters reported that the detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi had been moved to the Insein prison on Sunday, a day after she appeared in front of her house to greet marching monks.Myanmar junta sets curfew Reuters, September 25, 2007.

Effective September 26, Myanmar's junta imposed dusk-till-dawn curfews on the country's two largest cities of Yangon and Mandalay. Additionally, gatherings of more than five people were prohibited. Meanwhile, truckloads of armed soldiers and riot police were sent into Yangon.Myanmar imposes curfews after mass protests AFP, September 25, 2007.

Junta crack-down

September 26 On September 26 pro-democracy figure Win Naing was arrested at his home in Yangon around 2:30 a.m. after being seen providing food and water to the protesting monks but was released from jail after one night, according to an anonymous friend and Western diplomat. Win Naing is in his 70s and had been arrested on March 8 for holding a press conference with Burmese demonstrators against the national economic hardships. Prominent Burmese comedian Zargana was also arrested overnight.Burma monks march as police act BBC, September 26, 2007. Troops barricaded Shwedagon Pagoda and attacked a group of 700 protesters with batons and tear gas. The police, beating their shields with batons, chased some of the monks and some 200 supporters, while others tried to remain in place near the eastern gate of the pagoda complex. Troops then sealed off the area around the pagoda, attempting to prevent the monks from making further protests.Burma riot police beat back monks BBC, September 26, 2007. This failed to stop the marches, with up to 5,000 monks progressing through Yangon; some wearing masks in anticipation of tear gas being used.

Later in the day there were reports of at least three Buddhist monks and one woman confirmed killed in the firing by security forces in Yangon when thousands of people led by Buddhist monks continued their protest against the military junta.Over 100,000 people in Rangoon and parts of Burma protest Mizzima News, September 26, 2007. A doctor in Yangon's general hospital confirmed that three injured monks have been admitted to the hospital after they were beaten up severely by the riot police at Shwedagon pagoda.Protesters in Rangoon have dispersed for the day. Mizzima News, September 26, 2007. The Swedish National Radio correspondent in Yangon reported that more than 300 people, many of whom are monks, have been detained. He also reported about a new kind of sentiment in Yangon: "People come up to me quite spontaneously and voice their opinion in a way they never did before." ... "People feel great admiration for the brave monks"Minst tre munkar dödade i Burma Sveriges Radio, September 26, 2007. The Burma Campaign UK said its sources had reported the junta ordering large numbers of maroon monastic robes and telling soldiers to shave their heads, possibly to infiltrate the monks.Monks defy warnings to protest in Myanmar International Herald Tribune, September 26, 2007

September 27