Burma's security forces raided several Buddhist monasteries today, arresting hundreds of the monks who have led the biggest protests against military rule in 20 years, witnesses said.
At least 200 monks were detained in pre-dawn raids on two monasteries in Rangoon, a day after tens of thousands of protesters defied warning shots, tear gas and baton charges meant to quell the demonstrations.
Troops also raided at least two monasteries in north-eastern Burma, where large anti-government protests have been held in the past week.
Up to 500 monks were arrested at the Mogaung monastery in Yankin Township and another 150 detained at the Ngwe Kyaryan monastery in South Okkalapa Township, witnesses said.
"Only two or three sick monks were left behind,'' a person who lives near the Ngwe Kyaryan monastery said.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting today on the violent response to demonstrations and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the country's military rulers to exercise "utmost restraint" towards peaceful protesters.
Ibrahim Gambari, the secretary-general's special envoy on Burma, briefed the council on the latest developments and Ban announced that he will then head to the region to press the UN's offer to help promote national reconciliation through dialogue.
The United States and the council's European Union members - Britain, France, Italy and Belgium - have already condemned the attacks and called on the country's military rulers to stop the violence and open a dialogue with pro-democracy leaders.
In a joint statement issued after a meeting of US and EU diplomats, the officials urged the Security Council to "discuss this situation urgently and consider further steps including sanctions".
"What's going on in Burma is outrageous," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after a luncheon meeting of ministers from the eight major industrialised nations. "The regime needs to stop using violence against peaceful people and get to a dialogue so that they can have reconciliation."
But getting China and Russia to even agree to a press statement from the council will be an uphill struggle because both countries contend that the situation in Burma is an internal affair and doesn't threaten international peace and security - as required for Security Council action.
In January, China and Russia cast a rare double veto on a US-sponsored resolution calling on Burma's military government to release all political prisoners, speed up progress toward democracy, and stop attacks against ethnic minorities.
Monks protest in Myanmar, September 24, 2007. 
At least 200 monks have been arrested in Myanmar during night-time raids on monasteries not long before sunrise. Government forces began to crack down on protesters after several days of peaceful demonstrations, but despite the violent treatment from military personnel, the monks returned to the streets in the morning.

100 monks were taken by security forces when they raided a monastery at Ngwe Kyaryan. "Only two or three sick monks were left behind", a witness near the monastery said. Some reports state that shots have been fired at demonstrators, with one "collapsing", but it's not known if the individual was shot.

"There are fire trucks, water cannons positioned in a number of places - there are about three of them outside city hall. There are a number of prison vans also to be seen in certain places", said Mark Canning, the British ambassador in Rangoon.

The United States and European Union have said that they are deeply troubled by events, issuing a statement calling on the United Nations Security Council to consider sanctions, but China and Russia do not believe sanctions will "be helpful" and immediately dismissed the call, calling the situation a matter for the "internal government" of Myanmar.
 
"France will not accept the gagging of Burma's opposition", said Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, who also said that "the Security Council expressed their concern vis-a-vis the situation, and have urged restraint, especially from the government of Myanmar."