Report: Myanmar claims freeing over 2,800 people

Monks take part in a protest against the government in Yangon, Sep. 22, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
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    YANGON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar authorities have claimed that it have released 2,836 people out of the 2,927 detained for being involved in September monk demonstrations in the whole country, official media reported Wednesday.

    The remaining 91 will be taken action as they were found as being "actually involved in violence and terrorist acts in one way or another", the report said.

    Of the 91 who have been denied release, 49 are in Yangon.

    The report did not mention if there is any more monks freed but "confirmed that there are no more arrests, night apprehensions and search of monasteries in connection with the incident".

    Earlier official report said the authorities have freed 398 monks out of 533 taken away by the government security forces for interrogation during raids on some monasteries in Yangon under then curfew order.

    The report said a total of 10 people were killed and 14 others injured in the whole incident.

    The report insisted that "not a single member of the Sangha (monk) is included in the persons who died in the incident. Only one member of the Sangha was wounded".

    Since Sept. 18, Buddhist monks and people had taken to the streets to stage demonstrations in Yangon and other parts of the country, demanding that the government lower commodity prices, improve people's living conditions and seek national reconciliation.

    The authorities termed the demonstrations as "unrest", accusing internal and external anti-government forces as well as some Western leading broadcasting stations of inciting the disturbances.