Post by dustdevil28 on Sept 30, 2007 4:03:42 GMT -8
(CNN) -- United Nations envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari has met with Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition National League for Democracy, a Western diplomat has told CNN.
Troops block off a road tin Yangon, Satuday, ahead of a visit by United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
more photos ยป Prior to the announcement it was not immediately clear whether Myanmar's secretive government would allow a visit to Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest in Yangon, although the envoy has met with her before.
The news came as Gambari embarked upon his second day of diplomatic talks in Myanmar, on the heels of a week filled with tension and violence. An outpouring of citizen protesters has been met with increasing force at the hands of government security guards, who were locking down key locations in Yangon Sunday.
Upon arriving in Myanmar Saturday, Gambari was taken to the isolated bunker-like capital Naypyidaw for talks with senior government officials in efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing clashes, according to Western diplomats.
He was taken to Yangon Sunday, where one Western diplomat described the scene as "bizarrely normal, dismal. There is barbed wire up and down the streets. Policemen and soldiers all along the streets (are) just hanging around."
In anticipation of his arrival, streets were swept clean of glass, brick, splattered blood and other signs of violence, one witness in the city told CNN, adding the clean-up was "making a lot of people angry."
As part of the security clampdown, main roads to the airport were shut and one witness in the city said even loitering on the streets of Yangon was considered risky. Although the circumstances were unclear, she said she saw a pair of teenage boys on their knees being questioned by guards.
Satellite photos may prove abuses in Myanmar, researchers say
The heavy security, she said, was meant to quash any hopes protesters may have of staging anti-government demonstrations ahead of Gambari's visit to the city -- which has been at the center of a violent crackdown by the ruling military junta. Acting to crush demonstrations, security guards have used increasing force in recent days, resulting in the death of at least 10 people, according to media and opposition reports which CNN cannot independently confirm.
However, protesters have been waiting for their chance to take to the streets to show Gambari "that hope is zero percent," the witness said. The mood in Yangon has been "very angry," she said. "We can see the emotion in every place in the city."
A Western diplomat echoed those sentiments, telling CNN there were rumors that protesters were gearing up for a strike on Monday.
"Security is so tight," the witness said. "But the most interesting place is the State Guest House on University Avenue," where Gambari is slated to stay.
"It's totally inaccessible," she said, adding that barbed wire has been snaked throughout the grounds. "Soldiers have barricades ready and any suspicious person they search...just around the bend there are three truckloads of soldiers, riot police and a fire engine."
Few shops were open Sunday and even fewer cars took to the roads, where security guards have been taking preventative measures.
"Even having a camera on hand is dangerous ... they will snatch it," the witness said. Meanwhile, the clampdown on the internet continued and opposition blogs that in earlier days listed numerous updates on activities in the city remained paired down Sunday.
www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/30/myanmar.diplomacy/index.html
Troops block off a road tin Yangon, Satuday, ahead of a visit by United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
more photos ยป Prior to the announcement it was not immediately clear whether Myanmar's secretive government would allow a visit to Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest in Yangon, although the envoy has met with her before.
The news came as Gambari embarked upon his second day of diplomatic talks in Myanmar, on the heels of a week filled with tension and violence. An outpouring of citizen protesters has been met with increasing force at the hands of government security guards, who were locking down key locations in Yangon Sunday.
Upon arriving in Myanmar Saturday, Gambari was taken to the isolated bunker-like capital Naypyidaw for talks with senior government officials in efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing clashes, according to Western diplomats.
He was taken to Yangon Sunday, where one Western diplomat described the scene as "bizarrely normal, dismal. There is barbed wire up and down the streets. Policemen and soldiers all along the streets (are) just hanging around."
In anticipation of his arrival, streets were swept clean of glass, brick, splattered blood and other signs of violence, one witness in the city told CNN, adding the clean-up was "making a lot of people angry."
As part of the security clampdown, main roads to the airport were shut and one witness in the city said even loitering on the streets of Yangon was considered risky. Although the circumstances were unclear, she said she saw a pair of teenage boys on their knees being questioned by guards.
Satellite photos may prove abuses in Myanmar, researchers say
The heavy security, she said, was meant to quash any hopes protesters may have of staging anti-government demonstrations ahead of Gambari's visit to the city -- which has been at the center of a violent crackdown by the ruling military junta. Acting to crush demonstrations, security guards have used increasing force in recent days, resulting in the death of at least 10 people, according to media and opposition reports which CNN cannot independently confirm.
However, protesters have been waiting for their chance to take to the streets to show Gambari "that hope is zero percent," the witness said. The mood in Yangon has been "very angry," she said. "We can see the emotion in every place in the city."
A Western diplomat echoed those sentiments, telling CNN there were rumors that protesters were gearing up for a strike on Monday.
"Security is so tight," the witness said. "But the most interesting place is the State Guest House on University Avenue," where Gambari is slated to stay.
"It's totally inaccessible," she said, adding that barbed wire has been snaked throughout the grounds. "Soldiers have barricades ready and any suspicious person they search...just around the bend there are three truckloads of soldiers, riot police and a fire engine."
Few shops were open Sunday and even fewer cars took to the roads, where security guards have been taking preventative measures.
"Even having a camera on hand is dangerous ... they will snatch it," the witness said. Meanwhile, the clampdown on the internet continued and opposition blogs that in earlier days listed numerous updates on activities in the city remained paired down Sunday.
www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/30/myanmar.diplomacy/index.html