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UN envoy to probe Burma crackdown | UN envoy to probe Burma crackdown |
(about 4 hours later) | |
UN human-right investigator Paulo Sergio Pinheiro has arrived in Burma - the first time he has been allowed him to visit the country for four years. | |
Mr Pinheiro hopes to meet political prisoners and find out exactly how many people died when protests against the government were crushed in September. | Mr Pinheiro hopes to meet political prisoners and find out exactly how many people died when protests against the government were crushed in September. |
The military says 10 people died. Others put the figure at more than 100. | |
The UN investigator has said he will leave immediately if the authorities fail to co-operate. | The UN investigator has said he will leave immediately if the authorities fail to co-operate. |
Mr Pinheiro, the UN's independent human rights investigator for Burma, has not been allowed to go there since November 2003. | Mr Pinheiro, the UN's independent human rights investigator for Burma, has not been allowed to go there since November 2003. |
His visit comes days after UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari spent six days in Burma, meeting a number of ministers as well as detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. | His visit comes days after UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari spent six days in Burma, meeting a number of ministers as well as detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. |
The UN said afterwards that a path to "substantive dialogue" was now under way. | The UN said afterwards that a path to "substantive dialogue" was now under way. |
'Fine-tuning' | 'Fine-tuning' |
Mr Pinheiro did not speak to reporters as he arrived in Rangoon, Reuters news agency reported. | Mr Pinheiro did not speak to reporters as he arrived in Rangoon, Reuters news agency reported. |
His proposed itinerary for the visit was still being "fine-tuned", a UN spokesman quoted by Associated Press said. | His proposed itinerary for the visit was still being "fine-tuned", a UN spokesman quoted by Associated Press said. |
BBC Asia correspondent Andrew Harding says Mr Pinheiro will need free and unrestricted access to Burmese prisoners to do his job. | BBC Asia correspondent Andrew Harding says Mr Pinheiro will need free and unrestricted access to Burmese prisoners to do his job. |
Mr Pinheiro wants full and free access to political prisoners | Mr Pinheiro wants full and free access to political prisoners |
The military government clearly resents this sort of intervention, our correspondent says. | The military government clearly resents this sort of intervention, our correspondent says. |
The Red Cross has suspended its own prison visits because it is no longer allowed private access to detainees. | The Red Cross has suspended its own prison visits because it is no longer allowed private access to detainees. |
There is some evidence that external and internal pressure is beginning to have an impact on Burma's generals - and the fact that Mr Pinheiro is being allowed in is a concession of sorts, our correspondent adds. | There is some evidence that external and internal pressure is beginning to have an impact on Burma's generals - and the fact that Mr Pinheiro is being allowed in is a concession of sorts, our correspondent adds. |