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Burma regime lifts Rangoon curfew Burma lifts curfew on main cities
(about 2 hours later)
Burma's military regime has lifted a curfew in Rangoon which was imposed last month amid pro-democracy protests led by the country's monks. Burma's military regime has lifted a curfew on the two main cities, imposed last month amid pro-democracy protests led by the country's monks.
The decision was announced over loudspeakers mounted on military vehicles driving around the streets of the country's main commercial city. The decision was announced in Rangoon, the country's main commercial city, over loudspeakers mounted on military vehicles driving around the streets.
It is not clear whether a curfew in Mandalay has also been lifted. A curfew was also lifted in Mandalay, in an apparent return to normal life.
On Thursday, the authorities freed three prominent dissidents detained during the violent crackdown. Authorities have released a number of prominent detainees - but diplomats say thousands remain locked up.
Before they were released, a government statement said nearly 500 people were still being held - out of 2,927 detained during the protests. The whereabouts of thousands of monks who took part in the protests in September are unknown.
'Happy'
"I'm happy that the curfew was lifted. It was really affecting businesses and people's moods," a Rangoon resident in his early 30s told AFP news agency.
It was unclear whether a government ban on assemblies of more than five people had also been lifted.
Burma's ruling generals appear to be confident that they have regained control of the cities, and that there won't be a resumption of the massive street protests, says the BBC's Chris Xia.
It will also be seen as a signal to the outside world that concerns over human rights abuses are misplaced, and that life is returning to normal.
In Washington, the White House said the lifting of the curfew was a "bad sign" that the government now felt confident it had succeeded in repressing dissent.
Press secretary Dana Perino urged Burma's ruling junta to enter talks with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The junta has offered to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, but only if she renounces her support for economic sanctions on Burma.
Fuel priceFuel price
The latest wave of protests dates back to the middle of August, when the government doubled the price of fuel, which in turn pushed up food prices.The latest wave of protests dates back to the middle of August, when the government doubled the price of fuel, which in turn pushed up food prices.
About 400 pro-democracy activists led the initial demonstrations in Rangoon, the biggest protests Burma had seen in several years. The demonstrations, initially led by about 400 anti-government activists, soon snowballed into the biggest protests Burma had seen in several years, as tens of thousands of monks joined in.
During September, tens of thousands of monks became involved in protests, that were met with violence by the military.
On the worst day of violence, 27 September, the junta said nine people had been killed, but the death toll is thought to be far higher.On the worst day of violence, 27 September, the junta said nine people had been killed, but the death toll is thought to be far higher.
International pressure has been mounting on Burma since the protests were suppressed. International pressure on Burma to institute democratic reforms has mounted since the protests, with the US announcing a further tightening of sanctions on Friday.
The UN envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, said this week he had been invited back to the country in mid-November.
Mr Gambari visited the ruling generals, and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in the immediate aftermath of the crackdown.