12 January 2011: About 500 university students take to the street in Kalay Myo of Sagaing Division today, protesting against a sharp rise in bus fare introduced in the new year by the military authorities.
The students of three universities including Kalay University, Kalay Computer University and Tehnological University (Kalay) walk on foot from Kalay Train Station towards downtown around 7:30am, demonstrating against an increase of bus fares from 100 to 200 Kyats.
“They [the students] have been walking on foot towards their universities since early morning. They are protesting against the bus fares being increased from 100 to 200 Kyats for a single journey to the university,” a local resident of Kalay Myo told Chinland Guardian.
“The students have faced difficulties in waiting for and getting on the buses as the service is so limited. So, they are demanding more bus services from the authorities,” said a local witness.
In 2007, a sharp increase in fuel price led to popular protests later known as “Saffron Revolution” led by Buddhist monks, which was brutally put off by the military regime.
There are about 4,000 students studying at Kalay University, 1,000 at Government Tehnological University and 400 at Computer University in Kalay Myo.
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Authorities Responded Positively to Student Protests In Kalay Myo
12 January 2011: The military authorities in Kalay Myo made positive responses to the street protest by the unitersity students today, promising that their demands would be met immediately.
The responses included putting the bus fare back to 100 Kyats from recently raised 200 Kyats, increasing the number of buses to upgrade the services, and setting up properly marked bus stops along the university bus routes.
And the buses running towards Kalay Computer University that used to pick up other passengers including local traders selling goods such as charcoals, and firewoods will be running only for students.
“The students as well as their parents are happy with the responses and they stopped protesting around 11am,” a local resident told Chinland Guardian.
It is claimed that the students were picked up from their protests with a total of nine buses back to their respective universities.
Early morning today, more than 1,000 students from three universities including Kalay University, Kalay Computer University and Tehnological University (Kalay) walked on the street in protest against a sharp increase in bus fares.
The alliance is called the Committee for the Restoration of the Federal Union.
democracy for burma 
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