Burma's military junta acknowledged today that it detained nearly 3,000 people during a crackdown on recent pro-democracy protests, with hundreds still remaining in custody.
The official statement on the front-page of The New Light of Burma, a government mouthpiece, said authorities were still hunting for demonstrators who took part in the recent uprising.
"Those who led, got involved in and supported the unrest which broke out in September were called in and are being interrogated," the junta said. "Some are still being called in for questioning and those who should be released will be."
The statement said that 2,927 people had been arrested since the crackdown started and nearly 500 were still in custody.
In their last tally of arrests, the junta said that nearly 2,100 had been detained.
Everyone released from custody was required to sign "pledges" the statement said, without elaborating.
The announcement came a day after Japan canceled a multimillion dollar grant to protest the bloody crackdown and UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari pressed Asian nations to take the lead in resolving the crisis.
China, which has been unco-operative in past efforts to pressure Burma's military rulers, said it supported Gambari's mission. As Burma's closest ally and a permanent member of the Security Council, China is considered key in pushing for change in the Southeast Asian nation.
Japan had already said it would suspend some assistance in response to the death of Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai, among at least 10 people killed when troops fired into crowds of peaceful protesters. Video footage of Nagai's death appeared to show a soldier shooting the journalist at close range on the streets of Yangon, Burma's biggest city.
AP