reposted from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6999357.stm
 Monks are highly revered in Burma |
The monks in the town of Kyaukpadaung, north of Rangoon, marched through the streets chanting prayers.
It is the latest in a wave of protests across Burma that began last month, when authorities doubled fuel prices.
Monastic leaders have threatened to hold more demonstrations, starting on Tuesday, unless the military apologises for beating monks at an earlier rally.
The monks at that protest, in the town of Pakokku, held about 20 security officials captive for several hours to complain about their treatment.
The group planning protests on Tuesday - The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks - has urged its followers to boycott the military government.
The monks have been asked to refuse alms and offerings from anyone connected to the military. 
Analysts say the boycott will be taken very seriously in Burma, because the nation's 400,000 monks are held in high esteem.
A similar protest by monks in 1988 led to a big uprising against military rule.
Fuel increase
The monks' demonstrations are the latest in a series of anti-government protests, originally sparked by the military junta's decision to double the price of petrol and diesel on 15 August.
The price of compressed natural gas - used for buses - increased fivefold.
The move was not announced ahead of time and the reasons behind it remain unclear, but it has hit people hard.
The demonstrations have continued despite the arrests of many of Burma's most prominent activists.
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