Asian drug warlord dies in Burma

One of Asia's most notorious warlords, Khun Sa, has died in the Burmese city of Rangoon.

He had reportedly been suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.

After decades of guerrilla warfare against the Burmese government, largely funded by his drugs empire, Khun Sa signed a peace deal in 1996.

He then retired to Rangoon, where he lived under the protection of the military rulers, despite the US offering $2m (£1m) for his capture.

He was once one of the world's most wanted men, with a vast drug-trafficking operation in the so-called Golden Triangle region, spanning the border of Thailand, Laos and Burma.

'Lofty ideals'

With a private army numbering in the hundreds, Khun Sa claimed to be fighting for independence for the Shan people - an ethnic minority group based mainly in Burma.

But he fell out with other Shan leaders in the mid-1990s and surrendered to the Burmese military government.

After his death, a former colleague said few in the Shan separatist movement would be mourning.

"He was a man with lofty ideals. He thought of becoming the liberator of Shan State," former guerrilla Khuensai Jaiyen told Reuters.

"But when the people he was supposed to be leading or liberating didn't accept his leadership, he turned his back on them."

'Prince of death'

Many have said his claims to be a freedom fighter were a ruse designed to give legitimacy to his drugs empire.

Washington reportedly branded him the "prince of death" and placed him on a par with the most notorious mafia dons.

As well as offering a huge reward, the US had requested his extradition to face drug-trafficking charges in a US court.

But it is believed he negotiated a deal with Burma's ruling generals to live out his life in relative luxury in Rangoon.

Family members and former colleagues of Khun Sa, who was in his mid-seventies, said he died within the past week. The cause of death is still unknown.

Suu Kyi rallies planned worldwide

Demonstrations are planned in 12 cities worldwide against Burma's continuing detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

Protests will be staged at Chinese embassies, as campaigners say Beijing holds the key to Ms Suu Kyi's release.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been held by the junta, mostly under house arrest, for exactly 12 years.

Australia is the latest country to impose sanctions on Burma's generals, amid global condemnation of their rule.

Australian officials said the financial sanctions would target 418 individuals, including top military figures and cabinet ministers.

Pressure has been growing on the junta since their bloody suppression of pro-democracy protests last month.

The generals have agreed to another visit from the UN's special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who is currently in China lobbying for Beijing's backing for democratic reforms in Burma.

And they are also allowing the UN's human rights investigator, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, to visit the country for the first time in four years. He is due to speak in New York later.

Laureates' appeal

Rallies for the detained pro-democracy leader are due to be held in cities including London, Paris, Brasilia, New York, Bangkok, Sydney and Cape Town.

SUU KYI APPEAL Open letter signed by Nobel peace laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire Rallies to be held in London, Paris, Berlin, Dublin, Vienna, Sydney, Washington, Toronto, New York, Brasilia, Bangkok and Cape Town

The coalition of charities and other groups behind Wednesday's demonstrations have called on those taking part to wear Suu Kyi masks and the white cloth of Burmese political prisoners.

Six female Nobel peace laureates have jointly appealed to the UN, urging it to help Ms Suu Kyi regain her freedom.

"The detention of Aung San Suu Kyi is the most visible manifestation of the regime's brutality but it is only the tip of the iceberg," they wrote in an open letter published in UK newspaper The Guardian.

Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a convincing victory in a general election in 1990 but the junta refused to hand over power.

Close ally

The protests coincide with the anniversary of the UN charter, and campaigners say they will be stepping up the pressure for UN action.

They blame China for blocking a UN resolution against Burma's generals.

Mr Gambari, who is expected to return to Burma next month, is meeting senior Chinese officials this week.

But he will not see any of the country's top leaders, the BBC's Daniel Griffiths reports from Beijing.

Although China, one of Burma's closest allies, has expressed concern about the situation there, it has always stressed that it will not interfere in its neighbour's internal affairs.

It is a sign that Beijing is unwilling to push Burma too hard, our correspondent says.

Burmese officials say 10 people died during the crackdown on protests in September, but diplomats believe the true figures are much higher. Hundreds of people are thought to be in detention.

Burma 'still hunting protesters'

Authorities in Burma are continuing to seek and detain those who took part in last month's anti-government protests, the government has announced.

According to a statement in an official newspaper, almost 3,000 people have been detained since the government began its crackdown on protesters.

Some 500 people remain in custody and "some are still being called in", the statement said.

On Monday, a UN envoy called reports of new arrests "extremely disturbing".

Burma's military leaders have faced mounting international criticism since troops use force to end days of protests.

The government says 10 people died, but diplomats fear the figure is far higher and there is also concern for the hundreds thought to remain in detention.

'Being interrogated'

The statement from the ruling junta was carried on the front page of The New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

"Those who led, got involved in and supported the unrest which broke out in September were called in and are being interrogated," it said.

"Some are still being called in for questioning and those who should be released will be."

A total of 2,927 people had been detained and nearly 500 were still being held, it said.

The number of arrests is an increase of almost 800 since the government's last official figures on 8 October.

Those released had been required to sign "pledges". The statement did not explain what these were, but some reports suggest they were a promise not to participate in further protests.

On Tuesday the Red Cross said it was appealing to Burma for access to the detainees, but said it had yet to establish a meaningful dialogue with the country's leaders.

International divisions

International pressure has been mounting on Burma in the wake of the crackdown.

The UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari is visiting Burma's neighbours and key trading allies for talks before a planned return there later this month.

Both the EU and the US have increased their sanctions on Burma, and the US said earlier this week that it was considering further measures. Japan has cut a portion of its aid.

But trading allies China and India have taken no such steps, and on Tuesday Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said there would be no threat of sanctions or suspension from the Association of South East Nations (Asean).

Burma's leaders, for their part, appear to remain defiant.

In a statement on Tuesday they ruled out a change of political course and questioned the need for UN involvement, saying that events in Burma did not threaten the region.

UN Security Council rebukes Burma

The UN Security Council has adopted a statement deploring Burma's military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

The agreement came after China lifted its objections to a statement first drafted by the US, UK and France.

It represents the first time the 15-nation body has taken any formal action over Burma.

The move indicates a shift of position by China, which had previously used its veto to stop the council from criticising Burma's military junta.

The statement "strongly deplores the use of violence against peaceful demonstrators" in Burma and calls on the junta and all other parties "to work together toward a de-escalation of the situation and a peaceful solution".

It also calls for the early release of "all political prisoners and remaining detainees", urging the junta to prepare for a "genuine dialogue" with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The non-binding statement - which, unlike a resolution, requires the consent of all 15 council members to be adopted - was issued by Ghana's UN Ambassador Leslie Christian, the council's president.

US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad said the statement was an important achievement.

"Our expectation is that this statement will have... a positive impact on the situation on the ground in terms of government behaviour and if it doesn't we're committed to coming back," he said.

Dr Thaung Htun, the UN representative for Burma's government-in-exile, said it sent a clear message to the generals to end violence and begin political dialogue.

"But the Security Council should closely monitor the situation and then evaluate how the military respond to the statement," he warned.

Gambari to return

Meanwhile, the UN said special envoy Ibrahim Gambari would tour Asia this weekend in a trip expected to culminate in his second visit to Burma since the demonstrations erupted last month.

Mr Gambari returned from a four-day visit to the country last week and had not been expected to return until mid-November.

His visit is aimed at kick-starting a political dialogue and securing the release of political detainees.

Rangoon says 10 people were killed and 2,100 arrested as last month's demonstrations, many of which were led by Buddhist monks, were quelled.

But foreign diplomats and analysts fear both figures could be far higher.

Dissidents and human rights groups have long accused Burma's regime of torturing political prisoners.

The government adamantly rejects all allegations of torture, and Burma's state-run media argue that more than half of those arrested during the protests have since been released.

However, there has been little news about some several hundred still believed to be in detention.

And earlier on Thursday, a pro-democracy activist arrested during the crackdown was reported as having died in custody.

Win Shwe, 42, a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD), died "as a result of torture during interrogation", the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said.

Burmese junta appoints go-between

Burma's military rulers have appointed an official to liaise with detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in an apparent concession to the UN.

Aung Kyi, a retired general currently serving as deputy labour minister, was appointed to "continue relations [with her] in the future", state TV said.

The appointment of a go-between was an issue raised by a UN envoy visiting after September's bloody crackdown.

A BBC correspondent has heard fresh accounts of the military's brutality.

Our correspondent, who spent three days undercover in Rangoon and met two fugitive monks, heard in one neighbourhood that the army had disposed of the bodies of monks killed during the crackdown by burning them in the local crematorium.

The military government is also reported to be holding monks in disused municipal buildings and even those who applauded the monks during their demonstrations are being hunted down.

The atmosphere in Burma's main city is tense and fearful, our correspondent adds.

Military demands

Monday's TV announcement did not say when contacts with Ms Suu Kyi might begin.

The UN's Ibrahim Gambari suggested appointing a liaison officer when he met Burma's military leader, Gen Than Shwe, last week.

Gen Shwe later said he was ready to meet Ms Suu Kyi if she dropped her support for international sanctions and abandoned what he said was her confrontational attitude.

Previous attempts to build dialogue between the military and Aung San Suu Kyi have come to nothing.

Ms Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for most of the past 18 years.

UN envoy describes Burma 'abuse'

The UN's envoy to Burma has voiced concern about arbitrary arrests and rights abuses said to be continuing after widespread protests.

Ibrahim Gambari warned Burma's military rulers their actions could have "serious international repercussions".

He was briefing the UN Security Council after a four-day visit to Burma, where he met senior generals and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

At least 10 people were killed in the crackdown after last week's protests.

Mr Gambari said he feared the real death toll could be much higher.

'Abhorrent' actions

He said there was great concern over reports of night-time raids, arbitrary arrests, mass relocations and beatings "being committed by security and non-uniformed elements".

[The Burmese people] have suffered too much for too long
Ibrahim Gambari
UN envoy to Burma

"To delay the prospect of a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Myanmar [the official name for Burma] is to deny to those who deserve it the most - the people of Myanmar," he said.

"They have suffered too much for too long."

Mr Gambari said later there was a consensus within the Security Council that the status quo in Burma was "unacceptable".

He told the BBC he hoped to return to Burma soon and that the key to progress was getting the two sides to talk to each other.

"There's been so much mistrust on both sides because... for a long time, and I think to some extent now, the generals did not want, until now, they didn't even want to talk to Aung San Suu Kyi, she didn't particularly want to talk to them," he said.

'Cautiously encouraged'

Meanwhile, Burmese state TV broadcast an image of Ms Suu Kyi for the first time in years on Friday.

Earlier, reports suggested that General Than Shwe, the head of the ruling junta, had agreed in principle to meet the detained pro-democracy leader.

He insisted that Ms Suu Kyi must give up her calls for international sanctions to be imposed against the regime, state media reported.

Mr Gambari said he was "cautiously encouraged" by the news and called for "maximum flexibility" from both sides.

"It's their country, it's their people that are suffering and I believe there's a window of opportunity there which should be seized by both Aung San Suu Kyi and senior General Than Shwe," he said.

In a separate development, the most senior US diplomat in Burma, Shari Villarosa, met the junta's foreign minister in the capital of Naypyidaw.

The US state department said the meeting was not productive.

The US has been among the most vocal critics of the junta, and threatened a Security Council resolution imposing sanctions.

But the Burmese ambassador to the UN, Kyaw Tint Swe, called for "patience, time and space", insisting the situation in his country was not a threat to regional security.

Mr Kyaw confirmed there had been many arrests after the protests, but said 2,095 people had now been released - including 722 Buddhist monks.

He promised that more releases would follow.

The monks became the focal point of the protests, which saw tens of thousands of people take to the streets.

BBC sources in Burma say as many as 10,000 people - many of them monks - were rounded up for interrogation following the protests.