Protester sets himself on fire at Burma landmark

A man set himself on fire at Yangon's most famous landmark in a political protest against Myanmar's military junta, witnesses said yesterday.

Thousands of pilgrims were gathered at the city's famed Shwedagon pagoda for a Buddhist holiday Friday when a 26-year-old man shouted "Down with the military regime," doused himself with gasoline and set himself ablaze, witnesses said. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear of official reprisal.

The man remained in critical condition with severe burns at a hospital Sunday, a hospital official said on condition of anonymity because he did not have the authority to speak to the press.

The incident was the first known case of self-immolation in Myanmar since the military regime took over in 1962.

Shwedagon pagoda was one of the main gathering points for Buddhist monks and pro-democracy protesters last September when at least 31 people were killed and thousands more were detained when the country's military rulers cracked down on peaceful demonstrations.

Myanmar's current junta seized control of the government in 1988 after violently suppressing nationwide pro-democracy protests. It held a general election in 1990, but failed to hand over power to the victors, the National League for Democracy Party led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.