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| Burma toll at least 31, UN says | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Burma's military authorities killed at least 31 people during the suppression of pro-democracy protests earlier this year, a UN human rights envoy has said. | Burma's military authorities killed at least 31 people during the suppression of pro-democracy protests earlier this year, a UN human rights envoy has said. |
| Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said he gave Burma a list of 16 named individuals who were killed, in addition to 15 others confirmed as dead by the state. | Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said he gave Burma a list of 16 named individuals who were killed, in addition to 15 others confirmed as dead by the state. |
| Mr Pinheiro said the figures provided by the state after the unrest might "greatly underestimate the reality". | Mr Pinheiro said the figures provided by the state after the unrest might "greatly underestimate the reality". |
| Earlier, Human Rights Watch released a detailed report on the crackdown. | Earlier, Human Rights Watch released a detailed report on the crackdown. |
| The New York-based group said at least 20 people died when troops opened fire on protesters, but concluded that the total must be much higher. | The New York-based group said at least 20 people died when troops opened fire on protesters, but concluded that the total must be much higher. |
| Several reports of killings indicate that the figure provided by the authorities may greatly underestimate the reality Paulo Sergio PinheiroUN envoy | |
| Based on interviews with more than 100 witnesses, the HRW report described beatings, mass arbitrary arrests and torture of detainees. | Based on interviews with more than 100 witnesses, the HRW report described beatings, mass arbitrary arrests and torture of detainees. |
| It also said many more people were detained than the Burmese government has admitted. | It also said many more people were detained than the Burmese government has admitted. |
| Mr Pinheiro said more than 600 people were still being detained by the authorities and that a further 74 were listed as missing, the AFP news agency reported. | |
| 'Deaths in custody' | |
| In a report due to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council next week, Mr Pinheiro said he had received information that the number of people killed during the anti-government protests was double the figure previously acknowledged by the Burmese authorities. | |
| "Several reports of killings indicate that the figure provided by the authorities may greatly underestimate the reality," he said, according to extracts published by AFP. | |
| "The use of lethal force by law enforcement officials from 26 to 29 September 2007 in Myanmar was inconsistent with the fundamental principles reflected in the basic international norms deriving from international customary law," he added. | |
| The UN special rapporteur said political and human rights activists had been targeted by the authorities and that those detained were subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and torture. | |
| "Since the crackdown there have been an increasing number of reports of deaths in custody as well as beatings, ill-treatment, lack of food, water or medical treatment in overcrowded unsanitary detention facilities across the country," he added. | |
| At least 3,000 people are believed to have died when the Burmese military brutally suppressed a popular uprising in 1998. |