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Wednesday 28 November 2007

BBC Burmese News Wednesday Evening

More detainees than Burma said: Mr Pinheiro

Mr Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the human rights investigator for Burma, has said he believes there are more political prisoners detained in the country than the government says.

Burmese regime has said it has released most of the detainees, but Pinheiro said yesterday that the government’s claim that only 93 people remain in detention is most likely not true.

Mr Pinheiro told an audience at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies that he did not think the number corresponded to reality.

But he did not estimate how many people still remain in detention.

BBC covers: Interview with Mr Pinheiro

In the interview with BBC, Mr Pinheiro said that he noticed there were new detentions after his return from Burma and commented it was not a positive result. He also said he will follow up those cases and deal with them in his report.


Musharraf stands down as army chief

General Musharraf
Musharraf gives up army uniform

President Musharraf of Pakistan has stood down as head of the army as he prepares for a five-year term as civilian head of state.

In a ceremony in Rawalpindi, he transferred command of the military to General Ashfaq Kiyani. Mr Musharraf described the military as the saviours of Pakistan.

The former prime minister and opposition politician, Benazir Bhutto, welcomed the move. But she said she was in no hurry to recognise Mr Musharraf as president.

The United States said it was a good first step, but it urged Mr Musharraf to lift emergency rule.


Our coverage includes :
-Burmese authorities try to seal off the Maggin monastery which was a shelter for AIDS patients and was raided by security forces during September demonstrations

-The release and arrest of politicians in Burma