Tuesday, September 25, 2007

God willing, a tipping point for Burma

From Channel 4 News, UK
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2007
By: Nick Paton Walsh, Jonathan Rugman

Burma's military junta imposes a curfew in the country's main cities amid warnings that a severe repression could follow.

A dawn to dusk curfew has been imposed in Burma's main city, Rangoon, as well as in the second city of Mandalay.

It follows another day of defiant protests by thousands of people on the streets of Rangoon.

The military junta has poured hundreds of troops and armed riot police into the city centre, warning they will take action if the protests continue.

President Bush urged the Burmese people to reclaim their freedom, telling the UN general assembly that Americans were outraged and would tighten economic sanctions against the regime.

Britain has joined the international outcry against any attempt by Burma to impose a military crackdown. Foreign Secretary David Miliband said it was right to give "political backing" to Burma's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and encourage the country "in the right direction".

But a stark warning came from the UN's human rights investigator for Burma, who said he feared a "very severe repression" and urged leading powers to intervene.

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