Raid on Myanmar mine protest

The raids came in the early hours of Thursday morning as the protesters, who have lived in a protest camp in the northern town of Monywa for several weeks, were sleeping in tents.

According to witness accounts, several truckloads of police arrived and began firing water cannons at the protesters.

Around 50 Buddhist monks were taking part in the protest, and most of the 20 to 30 injuries reported were suffered by the monks. One of the monks, who suffered burn wounds, is pictured above.

Some of the monks reported that canisters fired by police had caused fires in the camp.

The mine is jointly owned by Myanmar's military and a Chinese copper company. The protesters alleged that the land for the mine was illegally confiscated from villagers and polluted. They are demanding that the company release environmental and social impact studies.

Protesters at the mine had been warned in advanced to clear out of the area, and many followed those orders. Those who stayed faced the police water cannons.

Such protests would have been unheard of as recently as 2010, when the deal was signed by the mine's owners.

President Thein Sein has implemented a series of gradual democratic reforms since last year that have included allowing protests. Under the former military junta in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, protests were quickly quelled.

Thursday's early-morning raid came a few hours ahead of a scheduled visit by Nobel Peace Prize laureate and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who had planned to speak to the demonstrators.

mz/ipj (Reuters, AFP, dpa)