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| Burma monasteries in night raids | Burma monasteries in night raids |
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| Witnesses say security forces in Burma have launched raids on monasteries and arrested scores of monks, as they try to stem a rising tide of protests. | Witnesses say security forces in Burma have launched raids on monasteries and arrested scores of monks, as they try to stem a rising tide of protests. |
| About 200 Buddhist monks were reported to have been held when two monasteries in the east of the main city, Rangoon, were stormed overnight, witnesses said. | About 200 Buddhist monks were reported to have been held when two monasteries in the east of the main city, Rangoon, were stormed overnight, witnesses said. |
| It followed reports of several deaths when police broke up demonstrations by monks and civilians on Wednesday. | It followed reports of several deaths when police broke up demonstrations by monks and civilians on Wednesday. |
| The UN Security Council has called on Burma's military junta for restraint. | The UN Security Council has called on Burma's military junta for restraint. |
| A witness to one of the raids said she heard shouting and screaming. | A witness to one of the raids said she heard shouting and screaming. |
| There are also reports of raids in the north-east of the country. | There are also reports of raids in the north-east of the country. |
| Police barricades have been set up around Shwedagon Pagoda and Rangoon city hall, two of the focal points for recent demonstrations, as security forces prepare for another day of protests. | Police barricades have been set up around Shwedagon Pagoda and Rangoon city hall, two of the focal points for recent demonstrations, as security forces prepare for another day of protests. |
| Key locations of Rangoon democracy protestsEnlarge Map | Key locations of Rangoon democracy protestsEnlarge Map |
| On Wednesday the UN Security Council in New York met in emergency session to discuss the crisis. | On Wednesday the UN Security Council in New York met in emergency session to discuss the crisis. |
| The US and European Union wanted the council to consider imposing sanctions - but that was rejected by China as not "helpful". | The US and European Union wanted the council to consider imposing sanctions - but that was rejected by China as not "helpful". |
| Instead, council members "expressed their concern vis-a-vis the situation, and have urged restraint, especially from the government of Myanmar," said France's UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert. | Instead, council members "expressed their concern vis-a-vis the situation, and have urged restraint, especially from the government of Myanmar," said France's UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert. |
| They welcomed the dispatch of UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to the region, and called on the Burmese authorities to receive him "as soon as possible". | They welcomed the dispatch of UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to the region, and called on the Burmese authorities to receive him "as soon as possible". |
| However US attempts to push for sanctions have stalled. China and Russia have argued that the situation in Burma is a purely internal matter. Both vetoed a UN resolution critical of Burma's rulers last January. | However US attempts to push for sanctions have stalled. China and Russia have argued that the situation in Burma is a purely internal matter. Both vetoed a UN resolution critical of Burma's rulers last January. |
| The junta are using dirty tactics - they don't fire guns but beat people with rifle butts BBC News website reader Accounts from Burma Text: Burma confirms death In quotes: Global reaction | The junta are using dirty tactics - they don't fire guns but beat people with rifle butts BBC News website reader Accounts from Burma Text: Burma confirms death In quotes: Global reaction |
| The talks at the UN took place after the Burmese security forces beat-up and fired tear-gas at protesters in Rangoon. | The talks at the UN took place after the Burmese security forces beat-up and fired tear-gas at protesters in Rangoon. |
| The Burmese state radio station, Radio Myanmar, reported that one person had been killed and three others injured - the first official confirmation that the violence had caused casualties. | The Burmese state radio station, Radio Myanmar, reported that one person had been killed and three others injured - the first official confirmation that the violence had caused casualties. |
| Earlier, a hospital source in Rangoon told the BBC that the monks were beaten with rifle butts, and that taxi drivers had transported the injured to nearby medical facilities. | Earlier, a hospital source in Rangoon told the BBC that the monks were beaten with rifle butts, and that taxi drivers had transported the injured to nearby medical facilities. |
| There were unconfirmed reports of at least three deaths on Wednesday, including a civilian, and two monks who were killed near the Shwedagon pagoda. | There were unconfirmed reports of at least three deaths on Wednesday, including a civilian, and two monks who were killed near the Shwedagon pagoda. |
| Battle of wills | Battle of wills |
| The G8, the world's eight most industrialised countries, warned Burma's ruling generals that they would be held accountable for their actions but stopped short of calling for sanctions. | The G8, the world's eight most industrialised countries, warned Burma's ruling generals that they would be held accountable for their actions but stopped short of calling for sanctions. |
| Analysts fear a repeat of the violence in 1988, when troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. | Analysts fear a repeat of the violence in 1988, when troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. |
| The confrontation in Burma has become a battle of wills between the country's two most powerful institutions, the military and the monkhood, and the outcome is still unclear, the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, says. | The confrontation in Burma has become a battle of wills between the country's two most powerful institutions, the military and the monkhood, and the outcome is still unclear, the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, says. |
| China's crucial role in crisis How will the junta respond? Burma's saffron army | China's crucial role in crisis How will the junta respond? Burma's saffron army |
| But he says that with monks and civilians determined to carry on the demonstrations, and Burma's ruling generals giving no indication that they are ready to listen to calls for restraint, there could be more violent clashes. | But he says that with monks and civilians determined to carry on the demonstrations, and Burma's ruling generals giving no indication that they are ready to listen to calls for restraint, there could be more violent clashes. |
| A clampdown on the media by Burma's military government - which has banned gatherings of five people or more in addition to imposing a curfew - has made following the exact course of the protests difficult. | A clampdown on the media by Burma's military government - which has banned gatherings of five people or more in addition to imposing a curfew - has made following the exact course of the protests difficult. |
| It is known that on Wednesday thousands of monks and opposition activists moved away from Shwedagon Pagoda, heading for Sule Pagoda in the city centre. | |
| Troops fired live rounds over the protesters' heads - for the first time since protests began ten days ago. | Troops fired live rounds over the protesters' heads - for the first time since protests began ten days ago. |
| Our correspondent says that for all their brutality, the security forces were clumsy and do not appear to have a strategy. | Our correspondent says that for all their brutality, the security forces were clumsy and do not appear to have a strategy. |
| They failed to prevent demonstrators from making their way through the city and their attacks on the monks only inflamed public anger - none of which was reflected on state television. | They failed to prevent demonstrators from making their way through the city and their attacks on the monks only inflamed public anger - none of which was reflected on state television. |
| The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. | The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. |