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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Bush to ramp up Burma sanctions | Bush to ramp up Burma sanctions |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush is set to announce further economic sanctions against Burma's military rulers. | US President George W Bush is set to announce further economic sanctions against Burma's military rulers. |
| The new measures were threatened if the Burmese junta continued to "repress" pro-democracy supporters. | The new measures were threatened if the Burmese junta continued to "repress" pro-democracy supporters. |
| The US has already imposed substantial trade, investment and diplomatic sanctions on the regime. | The US has already imposed substantial trade, investment and diplomatic sanctions on the regime. |
| Mr Bush was expected to call on India and China to apply more pressure on the regime during a public statement later on Friday, the White House said. | |
| "This is all headed toward pressuring the regime to try to make a difference," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. | |
| The Treasury Department was also due to impose economic sanctions and additional sanctions against individual Junta members. | The Treasury Department was also due to impose economic sanctions and additional sanctions against individual Junta members. |
| Meanwhile, US lawmakers were considering further economic sanctions that would target a lucrative natural gas project Burma enjoys with American oil giant Chevron. | Meanwhile, US lawmakers were considering further economic sanctions that would target a lucrative natural gas project Burma enjoys with American oil giant Chevron. |
| Questionable impact | Questionable impact |
| Just days ago, the European Union stepped up its sanctions against the regime. | Just days ago, the European Union stepped up its sanctions against the regime. |
| Japan, one of Burma's biggest aid donors, has also cut more than $4m (£1.95m) in funds. | Japan, one of Burma's biggest aid donors, has also cut more than $4m (£1.95m) in funds. |
| CLAMPING DOWN ON BURMA Military leaders' US assets frozenUS visa ban imposed on top generals and their familiesUS citizens banned from dealing with junta leadersEU sanctions imposed$4m of Japanese aid cut | |
| But it is not clear what impact such economic measures will have, with critics arguing sanctions are largely ineffective. | But it is not clear what impact such economic measures will have, with critics arguing sanctions are largely ineffective. |
| Washington's Cato Institute estimates that unilateral sanctions imposed by the US between 1970 and 1998 failed almost 90% of the time. | Washington's Cato Institute estimates that unilateral sanctions imposed by the US between 1970 and 1998 failed almost 90% of the time. |
| China, India and Russia have all called for a more conciliatory approach towards Burma's junta, limiting the impact of any sanctions imposed. | |
| And as China is a veto-holding member of the Security Council, it has the power to block any potential UN motion about sanctions. | |
| It is also argued that sanctions hit the civilian population hardest while hardening the regime's resolve against democratic reform. | It is also argued that sanctions hit the civilian population hardest while hardening the regime's resolve against democratic reform. |
| 2500 still held | |
| A senior British diplomat has told the BBC that some 2,500 people are still being held by the military. | A senior British diplomat has told the BBC that some 2,500 people are still being held by the military. |
| British officials have also received first-hand accounts of the grim conditions under which many detainees are being held. | British officials have also received first-hand accounts of the grim conditions under which many detainees are being held. |
| UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari will visit Burma next month | |
| Eyewitness accounts speak of detainees being held in excrement-smeared rooms suffering beatings and interrogations. | Eyewitness accounts speak of detainees being held in excrement-smeared rooms suffering beatings and interrogations. |
| Uncertainty also still surrounds the fate of thousands of Buddhist monks, many of whom have been bottled up in the larger monasteries or dispersed to the countryside. | Uncertainty also still surrounds the fate of thousands of Buddhist monks, many of whom have been bottled up in the larger monasteries or dispersed to the countryside. |
| While the government is seeking to present the recent disturbances as "local difficulty that has since been contained", the diplomat said things were still very far from normal. | While the government is seeking to present the recent disturbances as "local difficulty that has since been contained", the diplomat said things were still very far from normal. |
| Describing Burma as "in many respects a nation of prisons", he said serious human rights abuses were continuing. | Describing Burma as "in many respects a nation of prisons", he said serious human rights abuses were continuing. |
| He said there were still regular night-time raids by the police or the military, scooping up hundreds of people. | He said there were still regular night-time raids by the police or the military, scooping up hundreds of people. |
| The senior British diplomat noted that there was a profound sense of trauma among the wider Burmese population. | The senior British diplomat noted that there was a profound sense of trauma among the wider Burmese population. |
| It was hard, he said, for outsiders to understand the scale of the insult that had been delivered to the monks which had created huge underlying pressures in the country despite the security crackdown. | It was hard, he said, for outsiders to understand the scale of the insult that had been delivered to the monks which had created huge underlying pressures in the country despite the security crackdown. |