Myanmar sees biggest demo since 2007 crackdown

Published on May 21, 2012 ...

YANGON (AFP) - More than 1,000 people in Myanmar's second-largest city have held a protest against severe power cuts, residents told AFP, the country's biggest public demonstration in five years.

A large crowd was again expected to gather in Mandalay on Monday evening as residents vent their anger at three months of power cuts that have left the city with as little as four hours of electricity a day.

The demonstrations come after Myanmar's nominally-civilian government approved a bill allowing authorised peaceful protest, one of a series of reformist moves since the end of army-rule last year.

Under the new law demonstrators are required to seek permission five days in advance in order to hold a protest, or risk one year in jail.

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