The World - News from Aug. 16, 1988

Amnesty International quoted witnesses as saying that Burmese troops have killed and tortured rice farmers and other Shan tribespeople in suppressing an insurgency among Burma’s largest ethnic minority. The London-based group said the report was further documentation of what it calls “a consistent pattern of gross violations of human rights” by the Burmese military. Meanwhile, diplomats based in Rangoon said that anti-government groups peacefully demanded the release of 3,400 political prisoners and further concessions from authorities after widespread unrest last week led to the resignation of President Sein Lwin.