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| Monks return to streets of Burma | Monks return to streets of Burma |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| More than 100 monks have marched in central Burma, the first time they have returned to the streets since last month's bloody crackdown on protests. | More than 100 monks have marched in central Burma, the first time they have returned to the streets since last month's bloody crackdown on protests. |
| The monks chanted and prayed as they marched through Pakkoku, the site of an incident last month that triggered pro-democracy protests nationwide. | The monks chanted and prayed as they marched through Pakkoku, the site of an incident last month that triggered pro-democracy protests nationwide. |
| The government said 10 people died during the crackdown, but diplomats believe the toll was much higher. | The government said 10 people died during the crackdown, but diplomats believe the toll was much higher. |
| Thousands more - many of them monks - were thought to have been detained. | Thousands more - many of them monks - were thought to have been detained. |
| Separately, the Human Rights Watch organisation has accused the Burmese army of forcibly recruiting children to cover gaps left by a lack of adult recruits. | Separately, the Human Rights Watch organisation has accused the Burmese army of forcibly recruiting children to cover gaps left by a lack of adult recruits. |
| Envoy's return | Envoy's return |
| Pakkoku is a centre of Buddhist learning about 630km (390 miles) north-west of Rangoon. | Pakkoku is a centre of Buddhist learning about 630km (390 miles) north-west of Rangoon. |
| Reports that soldiers had beaten up monks there on 6 September gave nationwide momentum to protests that had begun on 19 August as demonstrations against fuel price rises. | Reports that soldiers had beaten up monks there on 6 September gave nationwide momentum to protests that had begun on 19 August as demonstrations against fuel price rises. |
| Burma has hundreds of thousands of monks, who are highly revered | |
| Witnesses at Tuesday's march said the monks did not make any overt political statements but that the rally was clearly in defiance of the junta. | |
| All public gatherings of monks in Burma have been banned and many monasteries remain deserted. | |
| There are hundreds of thousands of monks in Burma. They are highly revered and the clergy has historically been prominent in political protests. | |
| The crackdown on protests sparked international action, with the US and EU imposing sanctions and embargoes. | |
| United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari is expected to return to Burma shortly for talks with the military government in the wake of the crackdown. | |
| The discussions that started then with [Mr Gambari's] first mission will continue and that is a good thing Western diplomat Army 'recruiting children' | |
| A Western diplomat told Agence France-Presse news agency Mr Gambari would be in Burma from 3-8 November. | A Western diplomat told Agence France-Presse news agency Mr Gambari would be in Burma from 3-8 November. |
| The Human Rights Watch (HRW) report says children as young as 10 are beaten or threatened with arrest to make them enlist. | |
| Both the army and ethnic rebels have been accused of using children before. | Both the army and ethnic rebels have been accused of using children before. |
| The military insists it is opposed to the use of child soldiers, but HRW says the abuses were extensive and systemic. |