Security forces in Burma tightened the screw yesterday with a second round of night-time raids targeting monks and pro-democracy protesters in Rangoon that netted scores of dissidents.
The city appeared increasingly normal on the surface during daylight, but fear of seizure during the overnight curfew terrorised people already cowed by the brutal crackdown that has left at least 13 dead in the biggest revolt in nearly two decades.
The ongoing raids came as the UN envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, was due to arrive in New York to brief the secretary general, Ban Ki- moon, on the outcome of discussions with Burma's military leader, General Than Shwe. Few details have emerged of their discussions after Mr Gambari was made to wait three days, though he did meet the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, twice in that time. China, Burma's closest and most influential ally, said Mr Gambari's efforts had been "positive".
But last night Burmese state television reported that Gen Than Shwe told the emissary he would meet Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, 62, only on condition she "abandons her stances of confrontation, utter devastation, economic sanctions and imposition of all sanctions".
The body of the Japanese video journalist Kenji Nagai, 50, killed at the height of violent clashes a week ago, was flown home as Tokyo said it was considering cutting its £13m annual foreign aid to Burma. Officials in Rangoon maintain Nagai was killed by a stray bullet after troops opened fire on demonstrators, but video footage of the incident appeared to show him being shot at close range.
The embattled regime rounded on the foreign governments that have condemned Burma's military leadership over the killings, with many believing the number of dead is far greater than admitted. The Burmese government's mouthpiece newspaper, the New Light of Myanmar, dismissed critics in the international community as "liars attempting to destroy the nation".
The attack reflected the dictatorship's anger that foreign embassies kept information on the crackdown flowing after internet links in Burma were severed.
The overnight arrests added to the estimated 2,000 already detained in Burma's grim prisons. State media said 2,093 had been arrested but that 692 were released.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, said: "I have a flow of information the brutality was not interrupted in the last days. On the contrary, it has been intensified. But of course I have no numbers to give."
Shari Villarosa, the US charge d'affaires, said: "It's all designed to keep the people afraid and intimidated. That's how the regime kept power all these years and it's what they are trying to do now."
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
