>> ASIAONE / NEWS / THE STRAITS TIMES / STORY

'At least 31 killed' in September protests
Sun, Dec 09, 2007 The Straits Times
BOSTON - MYANMAR'S crackdown on democracy protests in September left at least 31 people dead, three times the official count, with up to 4,000 arrested and 1,000 still detained, a report by a UN rights envoy showed. The report, to be presented to the United Nations' Human Rights Council on Tuesday, said that Myanmar's military rulers used 'excessive force' in quelling the monk-led street protests and had violated 'fundamental rules of international law'. The 77-page report, written by UN special rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro following his Nov 11-15 fact- finding visit, is among the fullest accounts to date of the suppression of the country's largest uprising since 1988.

Official media in Myanmar has only acknowledged that 10 people died in the crackdown.

Mr Pinheiro said the authorities told him of 15 confirmed deaths and he found evidence of a further 16 people killed in street demonstrations.

The report cites at least 74 cases of 'enforced disappearance' where Myanmar's authorities are either unable or unwilling to account for the whereabouts of individuals.

Along with live ammunition and rubber bullets, the authorities used a range of weapons against protesters, including teargas, smoke grenades, wooden sticks, rubber batons and slingshots, the report said.

Up to 4,000 people were arrested, compared to the official count of 2,927, and between 500 and 1,000 were 'still detained at the time of writing', including 106 women, of whom six were nuns, it said.

Mr Pinheiro described large-capacity informal detention centres and said he had credible reports of a special punishment area known as 'military dog cells' in Yangon's notorious Insein Prison.

This consists of a compound of nine tiny isolation cells measuring 2m by 2m constantly guarded by a pack of 30 dogs.

Its inmates were held in 'degrading conditions', the report said.

The cells lacked ventilation and toilets. The detainees, mostly political prisoners, slept on thin mats on the concrete floor and were only allowed to bathe with cold water for five minutes once every three days, the report said.

Mr Pinheiro's report included details of a visit to the Htain Bin crematorium, where the authorities said 14 corpses were transferred from the Yangon General Hospital.

Eleven of those cremated had died as a result of gunshot wounds.

Reuters, AP

Key findings in UN rights envoy's report

There are reports of a special punishment area in Yangon's Insein Prison. Nine isolation cells measuring 2m by 2m are constantly guarded by 30 dogs. The inmates are held in 'degrading conditions'.