More than 400 people led by prominent pro-democracy activists staged a rare protest in Myanmar's biggest city yesterday, marching against a massive recent fuel price hike, activists said.
"We are staging this performance to reflect the hardship our people are facing due to the government's fuel price hike," said Min Ko Naing, a leader of the 88 Generation Students' Group.
Myanmar's ruling military junta imposed a surprise 100 percent hike on fuel at state-owned gas stations on Wednesday. The move was followed by increases in bus fares and commodity prices.
The government did not give reasons for the increase.
The march began with about 100 people led by former student activists of the 88 Generation Students' Group moving along a major road in north Yangon. The crowd swelled to more than 400 marchers as bystanders joined in and then all dispersed after covering about 9km.
The protesters did not shout slogans or hold up placards.
"Some cars stopped and those inside clapped their hands when they knew that we were staging this performance in protest against the fuel price hike," Min Ko Naing said.
Authorities watched and videotaped the event, but did not interfere with the protest.
The 88 Generation Students' Group includes former student leaders who were active in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising against the military. Many of them have served long prison terms.
The government, which holds a monopoly on fuel sales and subsidizes them, raised prices of fuel from 1,500 kyats (US$1.16) to 3,000 kyats per 4.5 liters for diesel and to 2,500 kyats for gasoline.
A canister of natural gas containing 65 liters was raised from 500 kyats to 2,500 kyats.
The hike immediately affected commuters who use public transport as bus fares have increased along with those of basic consumer products.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
A documentary whose main subject, 25-year-old photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza weeks before it premiered at Cannes stunned viewers into silence at the festival on Thursday. As the cinema lights came back on, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi held up an image of the young Palestinian woman killed with younger siblings on April 16, and encouraged the audience to stand up and clap to pay tribute. “To kill a child, to kill a photographer is unacceptable,” Farsi said. “There are still children to save. It must be done fast,” the exiled Iranian filmmaker added. With Israel
RSS