Photo News - October 2012

Gold miners at the Moehti Moemi gold mine in Yamethin Township stage a protest against the National Prosperity Public Company Limited in front of its office in Rangoon on Monday, Oct 29, 2012. The placards say “Please take legal action against forced labour of National Prosperity Public Company Limited” and “No one must be above the law.” Photo: Hein Htet

Employees of the Moehti Moemi gold mine in Yamethin Township at a protest against the National Prosperity Public Company Limited in front of its office in Rangoon on Monday, Oct 29, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet

A family flees a fire in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan (Rakhine) State on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2012, as violence swept across the region pitting Muslim Rohingyas and Rakhine natives against each other. Photo: Thein Hlaing / Mizzima

Tile factory workers want higher wages

About 150 workers at the Aung ceramic tile factory in industrial zone No.4 in Shwepyitha Township, Rangoon, staged a labour rights protest at the Shwepyitha Labour Office on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, urging factory authorities to pay salaries in line with Asean standards and stop discrimination at the factory. Photos: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Workers at the Aung tile factory demonstrated for higher salaries on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2912.

Workers took their demonstration to the Shwepyitha Labour Office on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2912.

Workers at the Aung tile factory are asking for higher wages, fair labour practices and an end to discrimination.

Maung Tin Myint, an Arakanese man, staged a solo protest outside the US Embassy in Rangoon on Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. He objected to the US Ambassador's use of the term “Rohingya” during a press conference. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

President Thein Sein speaks at his first press conference with domestic media at the President’s House in Naypyitaw on Sunday, October 21, 2012. The president answered more than 30 questions for more than two hours. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

Journalists at the president's press conference. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

President Thein Sein and domestic journalists pose for photographs after his press conference in Naypyitaw on Sunday, October 21, 2012, More than 120 journalists attended the press conference. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

New military representatives to the Burmese Parliament are sworn in during the 5th session Parliament in Naypyitaw on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. Photo: Myat Kyaw Thu / Mizzima

Military representatives to the Burmese Parliament sign in on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. Photo: Myat Kyaw Thu / Mizzima

National League for Democracy [NLD] chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD MPs arrive for the 5th regular session of the Parliament held in Naypyitaw on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. Photo: Myat Kyaw Thu / Mizzima

NLD chairperson Suu Kyi signs in at the the 5th regular session of the Parliament in Naypyitaw on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. Photo: Myat Kyaw Thu / Mizzima

Suu Kyi and other lawmakers in Parliament. Photo: Myat Kyaw Thu / Mizzima

More than 200 members of the Myanmar Lawyers Network protested against the privatizations of national heritage sites on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, in Rangoon. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

The buildings to be privatized include the Rangoon East District Court building, West District Court building and Rangoon Region High Court building. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

The demonstration attracted a wide range of members from the legal profession and their supporters.

Former political prisoners on Tuesday commemorated martyrs in a ceremony held to pay tribute to a former leader of the Students Union (High School level), Thet Win Aung, who died in Mandalay Prison on Oct. 16, 2006. October 16 has been temporarily established as Political Prisoners’ Day. Former political prisoners attended the ceremony. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Members of Student Unions (Basic Education level) on Tuesday sing at a ceremony in Rangoon to pay tribute to a former leader of the Student Union (High School level), Thet Win Aung, who died in Mandalay Prison on Oct. 16, 2006, which has been temporarily set as Political Prisoners’ Day. 88-generation student leaders, members of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions and former political prisoners attended the ceremony. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Supporters on Monday march in protest to the opening of an office of the Organization of Islamic Conference in Rangoon. Demonstrations were also held in Mandalay and other cities. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

More than 2,000 Buddhist monks and supporters gathered on Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, in Rangoon to protest a plan to open an Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) office in Burma. Following widespread protests, the President's Office has announced that Burma will not allow the OIC to open a permanent office in Burma. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Lanterns at the Junction Center in Rangoon to commemorate the Thadingyut Lighting Festival on October 13, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Decorations to commemorate the Thadingyut Lighting Festival on October 13, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet/ Mizzima

Decorations to commemorate the Thadingyut Lighting Festival at Shwe Pa Zun Cafe in Rangoon on October 13, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet/ Mizzima

National League for Democracy [NLD] chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi speaks at the Thongwa Township NLD office on Wednesday, October 11, 2012. She apologized for problems affecting NLD unity in the township. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

National League for Democracy [NLD] chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi with residents in Thongwa Township on Thursday, October 11, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Arakanese [Rakhine] women protest against “illegal immigrants” in Sittwe in Arakan State on Wednesday, October 10. Photo: Thein Hlaing / Mizzima

Police guards posted around a protest against “illegal immigrants” in Arakan State on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. Photo: Thein Hlaing / Mizzima

Buddhist monks march towards the US Embassy in Rangoon on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, to say prayers for the recently deceased US ambassador to Libya, who was killed in an attack by Islamist radicals. Before they marched to the embassy, they demonstrated in front of the Bangladesh Embassy to protest the recent destruction of Buddhist temples and homes in the Cox’s Bazar area. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

NLD chairman Aung San Suu Kyi holds a press conference to talk about her US trip at NLD headquarters in Bahan Township, Rangoon, on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Workers at the Tawin Myanmar Company Limited, a furniture factory, march for higher salaries near Hanthawaddy Junction in Sanchaung Township, Rangoon, on Oct.8, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Workers in front of the Tawin Myanmar Company on U Wisara Road in Sanchaung Township, Rangoon, on Oct. 8, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Aung San Suu Kyi is greeted by thousands of supporters as she arrives back in Burma at the Yangon International Airport late on Thursday, October 4, 2012, after a triumphant trip to the United States where she was also given a hero's welcome. Photo: Mizzima

Firemen arrive at a fire on Laydaungkan Road, Thingangyun Township, Rangoon, at 9:50 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3, 2012. The fire started at a petrol station. Five shops were gutted in the fire. The fire department estimated that the total value of the damage is 2,550,000 kyat (US$ 2,700). Twenty-five fire engines, six management vehicles and eight assistance vehicles responded to the fire. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

A fire at a filling station in Rangoon caused around $2,700 in damage on Wednesday. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Firemen clean up after a fire in Thingangyun Township was extinguished on Wednesday. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

The “Safety Net” charity group organizers stand at a ceremony to mark the anniversary of “Save the Irrawaddy” in Bahan Township, Rangoon, on Wednesday, October 3, 2012. The ceremony was attended by 88-generation student leader Pyone Cho, meteorologist Tun Lwin, writer Maung Sein Win, writer Ko Tar and conservationist and researcher Win Myo Thu.

88-Generation student leader Pyone Cho speaks at a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the “Save the Irrawaddy” campaign in Rangoon on October 3, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Writer Maung Sein Win speaks at the ceremony to mark the anniversary of the “Save the Irrawaddy” campaign in Rangoon on October 3, 2012. Photo: Hein Htet / Mizzima

Burmese President Thein Sein arrives at Yangon International Airport on Monday, October 1, 2012, after a tour of the US where he spoke to the UN General Assembly. Photo: Bo Bo / Mizzima