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Since 2003 she has been under house arrest at her home in central Rangoon, Burma’s largest city and former capital, tended to by a maid and forbidden from receiving mail or holding meetings, apart from occasional visits from a doctor.

The road leading to her house is blocked off but on Saturday its guards allowed some 2,000 monks to enter.

According to witnesses quoted in news agency reports, Ms Suu Kyi emerged from the house with two other women, wearing an orange blouse and a light-brown longyi, a traditional skirt, and with her hands pressed together in prayer. With tears in her eyes, she saluted the monks as they walked past her compound at a distance of a few feet.

“Long life and health for Aung San Suu Kyi, may she have freedom soon,” the monks chanted beneath the rain, in Rangoon’s wettest day for 39 years.

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Lives of the monks and supporters depend on whether the regime can remain deaf to the rest of the world

Richard Lloyd Parry

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“May we be completely free from all danger, may we be completely free from all grief, may we be completely free from poverty, may we have peace in heart and mind.” It is not clear whether the concession was a calculated one by the Government, intended to defuse popular anger with a gesture of conciliation, or whether it was decision made on the spot by the lower-ranking commanders guarding Ms Suu Kyi’s street.

“The monks told the guards that they just wanted to go to pray for Aung San Suu Kyi, because we are Buddhists,” one witness told Agence France-Presse.

There was no repeat of the incident yesterday when the barricades were back in place, as well as riot police and a fire engine. About 400 people, bearing a banner with the words “Love and kindness must win over all”, approached but dispersed after unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate their way through the barbed wire.

Yesterday, the secretary-general of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, one of the few multinational bodies to accept Burma as a member, expressed hope for a peaceful outcome to the tension.

“I hope the relevant authorities in Myanmar \ will not take any strong action and turn the protests into a big confrontation,” Ong Keng Yong told the Associated Press.

Growing dissent

August 19 Hundreds protest against fuel costs after cuts in subsidies bring five-fold increases. At least 150 are arrested

August 28 Several hundred Buddhist monks take to the streets of Sittwe in support of protesters

September 5 Pro-government militia attacks monks in Pakokku after they ignore warning shots

September 6 Pakokku monks take 20 government officials hostage in their monastery for up to six hours

September 18 Thousands of people join monks on the streets of cities and towns across the country in the first of continuing daily protests

September 22 2,000 people pray at the home of Aung San Suu Kyi, who is allowed to greet them

September 23 Monks ask public to join nationwide prayer vigils

Sources: Burma Campaign UK; Open Democracy; Amnesty International; Times archives

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