Burma’s military government has intensified its crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators, abducting people from their homes in the middle of the night. U.S. Embassy personnel have found some Buddhist monasteries completely deserted while others have been closed off by soldiers.

The acting U.S. ambassador found the absence of the leaders of last month’s demonstrations conspicuous: “There is a significantly reduced number of monks on the streets. Where are the monks? What has happened to them?”