Monastery Raided for Fourth Time in Rangoon

Burmese soldiers raided Maggin Monastery in Rangoon’s Thingangyun Township for the fourth time on Monday night, taking away one computer, some unidentified documents and a small amount of money.

The raid took place from 9 p.m. to around midnight, according to a source close to the monastery.

Earlier on Monday, authorities released two monks and two laypeople that had been taken from the monastery on September 26, along with four other persons.

U Kaytu, the 84-year-old father of the monastery's abbot, Sayardaw U Indaka, and a monk, U Nandiya, were released along with two laypeople, Aung Zaw Win, and an unidentified man. The four were being held
in the Government Technology Institute in Insein Township.

They had been arrested along with Abbot U Indaka, one unidentified monk, and two laypeople, Than Htike Aung and Aung Than. They are all in detention now at an unknown location, according to the group that was released.

A source said the security forces were probably looking for physical evidence that they could use against those still being held. They said about 360,000 kyat (US $266) was taken from monastery funds.

Maggin Monastery is known as an important location for the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients who come to Rangoon to receive medical treatment. After the monastery's monks were arrested in earlier raids, all the patients were taken to Wai Bar Gi Infectious Diseases Hospital in North Okkalapa Township.

The monastery is now open, said a source, and is home to two monks, nine novices and a woman housekeeper.