In Yangon, Myanmar, on Wednesday, the military arrested more individuals following the departure of a UN envoy who had visited to help stop the violent crackdown on protests. Witnesses reported that at least eight truckloads of prisoners were taken from downtown Yangon, the site of recent monk-led demonstrations against military rule and economic struggles. In one home near the Shwedagon Pagoda, only a 13-year-old girl remained after her parents were arrested. She stated that they were warned not to flee as the authorities may return. The crackdown in Myanmar continued despite some optimism about progress made by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari in convincing junta chief Than Shwe to ease his control and engage in talks with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Singapore, as chair of ASEAN, noted the cooperation of the Myanmar government with Gambari. Gambari, who met Suu Kyi twice, was expected to return to Myanmar in early November after his visit to Singapore. However, it was uncertain how his efforts and international pressure would impact the junta's policies, as they typically do not respond to outside pressure or allow UN officials. There was skepticism about the potential outcomes of Gambari's mission. David Steinberg, an expert on Myanmar from Georgetown University, believes that the top leadership in the country is so stuck in their beliefs that it will not be beneficial. He mentioned that the leaders often claim they are on the path to democracy and question what more people want, in reference to the junta's "seven-step road to democracy". The initial step of this plan was completed in September after a 14-year national convention, which critics argue will only solidify military control and prevent Suu Kyi from holding office. The recent protests, the most significant challenge to the junta in nearly two decades, initially began as small demonstrations against sudden fuel price increases in August and escalated after troops used force against a group of monks. The junta claimed that the monk-led protests, which stretched five city blocks, were met with minimal force and that Yangon and other cities had returned to their normal state. They reported 10 deaths and dismissed claims of higher casualties and atrocities as falsehoods. However, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and other Western governments believed the actual death toll was much higher. Despite this, the junta believed they had successfully quelled the uprising, as they removed barricades around key protest sites, relaxed curfews, and released some of the detained monks. One young monk stated that most of the monks taken from his monastery were allowed to return after interrogation without physical harm. Witnesses reported that there was still a strong presence of armed forces in the streets of Yangon and Mandalay. The military regime was also conducting house-to-house searches for monks in hiding, a tactic that Western diplomats said was instilling fear among the population. The international community continued to express outrage at the violent crackdown on peaceful protests, with the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, including China, condemning the junta's actions. The Council called for the UN human rights envoy to Myanmar, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, to be allowed to visit the country for the first time in four years, as reports indicated that thousands of people had been detained. Pinheiro emphasized the importance of illuminating the events that occurred, as he addressed the council that approved a resolution condemning acts of violence such as beatings, killings, and detentions. Myanmar accused powerful countries of using the hearing for political gain.