U Gambira spent more than four years in prison for his role in the September 2007
uprising before his release in January. He was severely tortured in prison
(James Mackay / Enigma Images)

Photographs of friends and family lie scattered and decaying in U Eindaka's sleeping
quarters that were completely destroyed by soldiers when they ransacked Maggin
Monastery during the 2007 uprising (James Mackay / Enigma Images)

Religious books and artefacts were torn from shelves and cupboards as military
intelligence searched for evidence of the monks' involvement in the Saffron Revolution
(James Mackay / Enigma Images)

U Eindaka was first arrested in 1990, disrobed and sentenced to 5 years in prison for
boycotting alms from the military regime. He became the Abbot of Maggin Monastery in
Rangoon, which has now been resealed (James Mackay / Enigma Images)

U Eindaka, the abbot of Maggin, talks to his nephew, a young novice who has just joined
the monastery, prior to it being resealed this week (James Mackay / Enigma Images)

Monks alms bowls lie on the floor gathering dust. Nothing has been touched for more
than four years after police raided Maggin Monastery (James Mackay / Enigma Images)

U Gambira, a former child soldier in the Burmese army, became a monk after being
rescued. In August 2007 he help found the All Burma Monks' Alliance and was
instrumental in organising the Saffron Revolution (James Mackay / Enigma Images)

On September 26th 2007, at the height of Burma's monk led Saffron Revolution, Maggin
Monastery in Rangoon was raided as the regime commenced its brutal crackdown on
the protests (James Mackay / Enigma Images)

U Eindaka and his fellow monks who were also arrested in September 2007 talk with
young novices who have just joined the monastery, prior to it being resealed this week
(James Mackay / Enigma Images)

U Eindaka, the abbot of Maggin monastery, stands in the middle of a room surveying the
remnants of the devastation caused four years ago when he and his fellow monks were
arrested (James Mackay / Enigma Images)

After raiding the monastery and arresting all of the monks in 2007, the doors were
padlocked shut by the authorities. Earlier this week they were once again closed
(James Mackay / Enigma Images)

At the height of the September 2007 monk-led uprising, police ransancked the Maggin Monastery in Rangoon, where hundreds of monks had found shelter away from the bloody crackdown. Many of those hiding in Maggin were jailed, along with hundreds of other protestors demanding an end to military rule four years ago.

But on 12 January a number of monks were released in a far-reaching amnesty of political prisoners. They included U Gambira, leader of the All Burma Monks’ Alliance, who had played a pivotal role in organising what came to be known as the Saffron Revolution. He and others monks, including Abbot U Eindaka, returned to Maggin and forced their way back in. And until last weekend, when police came to reseal the now iconic building, they had found refuge there again.

Accompanying U Gambira upon his return to Maggin last month prior to it being closed again was photographer James Mackay, whose haunting work reveals the damage inflicted by authorities in 2007 and the emotions felt by the monks as they picked their way through their ruined belongings.

To see more of James Mackay’s work, visit his website here