Wednesday 1 October 2008

Cyber cafes ordered to close early

IMNA - Suffering from an unnamed fear on the 1st anniversary of the saffron revolution the Burmese military junta has ordered cyber cafes to close early in the capital of Mon state, Moulmein (Mawlamyine).

According to cyber café owners in the city, government officials went to each café in Moulmein and ordered owners to close before 8 p.m.

"Earlier, we could use the internet until midnight. But the café owners are closing early and not allowing customers to stay beyond 8 p.m.," an internet user in Moulmein told IMNA.

In Moulmein there were six cyber cafes—the MYC, MCC, POST, INFORMATIC, HTAKASON and SKY NET.

According to an internet shop owner and a surfer the regime has blocked them from accessing dissident websites and media websites in exile.

Monks students and Moulmein university students rely on the internet to communicate with the outside world even though they are closely monitored.

Currently the Burmese military junta officials have deployed additional security in Moulmein city and have been closely watching Ye monastery, Shin Phyu monastery and university students. The military has also tightened security in the place where Moulmein monks started marching during the saffron revolution.

During the September 2007 saffron revolution thousands of monks in Moulmein joined hands with university students and demonstrated against the military junta in Rangoon.

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