Monk reported killed by troops in Burma

Monk reported killed by troops in Burma

By Graeme Jenkins in Rangoon, and Natalie Paris

Last Updated: 3:30pm BST 26/09/2007

Attempts by the military to stop street protests in Burma have escalated into violence, with attacks on demonstrators leaving many Buddhist monks injured and at least one reported dead.

Anti-government protesters turned out again today to in their thousands to demonstrate against the dictatorship in defiance of a ban on public gatherings.

But crowds outside Rangoon's holiest shrine, the Shwedagon Pagoda, were left severely bloodied after they were beaten by troops wielding batons and firing live rounds.

Dozens of monks were injured in the beatings, while hundreds of people were arrested and dragged onto waiting trucks.

Local radio reported that at least one monk has been shot and killed.

Reports from exiled journalists and activists in Thailand have claimed that as many as five people, including monks, have been killed. These reports cannot be confirmed.

A crowd of around several thousand protesters, many of who were wearing masks or wet towels to protect against tear gas, was confronted by troops near the pagoda.

Warning shots were fired at around one hundred monks who refused to be chased away and tried to hold their positions near the eastern gate of the vast pagoda complex.

Demonstrators then regrouped to march to the city's Sule Pagoda, with the monks in the middle and members of the public on either side.

Troops again sought to disperse the crowds, with warning shots and tear gas sending people swarming to seek shelter indoors.

Six of the big activist monasteries in Rangoon are under military guard following a night-time curfew.

Gordon Brown has called for a UN Security Council meeting on what are the biggest anti-government protests in 20 years.

"The whole world is now watching Burma," the Prime Minister said.

Speaking after the regime launched its crackdown on protesters, he called for a United Nations security council meeting to discuss the crisis.

At the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, Mr Brown said: “The whole world is now watching Burma and its illegitimate and repressive regime should know that the whole world is going to hold it to account.”

A couple of high profile arrests were made by the military regime earlier this morning.

Zanagar, a comedian famed for his anti-government jibes was the first well-known activist rounded up, followed by U Win Naing, a 70-year-old veteran independent politician.

Burmese outside of the country have been sharing their fears about the situation with Telegraph.co.uk.

Myat Lay wrote today: "Thanks for your concern on our Burmese people. How I wish you guys will feel if you are in our shoes, very helpless, too much oppressed as in hell and nowhere to turn to.

"The cruel government shut down our lives as human. Our hands are tied, our lips are clipped, our ears were blocked with rock and our eyes were poked out."

George W Bush has called for an end to the "reign of fear" in Burma, amid increasing international pressure on the military regime.

President Bush announced new sanctions against the ruling generals and urged the United Nations to "help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom".

Speaking at the opening of the UN's General Assembly in New York, Mr Bush said the Burmese were denied "basic freedoms of free speech, assembly and worship".

This week's pro-democracy protests led by monks follows a smaller secular movement last month triggered by huge fuel price rises.

In Burma's last major uprising, in 1988, soldiers opened fire on crowds and killed an estimated 3,000 people.