Burma's military prepares for Wednesday's protests

The (UK) Guardian's Matthew Weaver has an hour-by-hour rundown of news on the protests today in Burma and a roundup of blogs (including one by Pundita) about the protests. Weaver also discusses reports that the Internet, including YouTube and blogs, is playing a vital role in getting out information about the protests.

The protests, which according to one report have swelled to 200,000 in Yangon (Rangoon), are taking on the same tone as the Burmese ones against British colonial rule. There is a report that monks leading the central protest today in Rangoon are calling for democracy; another news source quotes a monk as saying that the Burmese no longer accept military rule.

So it is no wonder that the news is increasingly ominous. Weaver reported at 12:05 (UK time):

The riot police have moved in, according to a flash on Sky News.

"Truck loads of riot police" have been deployed in Rangoon as crowds disperse, says the BBC World Service.

"About seven military trucks full of soldiers, who sang war songs, were seen passing through the Pyi road in Rangoon," according to eyewitness reports on Mizzima.

Reuters says there are eight military trucks but suggests they moved in after the protest had ended, possibly to prevent more protests tomorrow.

See Weaver's report for links to the stories he quotes.

There is also a report that soldiers have infiltrated the protests and stated fights with the police; this to create a pretext for a crackdown.