BURMA’S secretive military regime has sacked its prime minister, seen as a relative pragmatist, and replaced him with a general who has taken a hard line in dealing with the country’s pro-democracy movement.

Burma’s secretive military junta has forced out its prime minister, the long-powerful General Khin Nyunt, and placed him under house arrest on corruption charges.

Burma Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt was forced to resign and has been placed under house arrest on corruption charges, a Thai government spokesman said today.

Burma’s military junta is to reconvene a national convention to draft a new constitution on May 17 – the first major step on its self-proclaimed “road map to democracy.”

Burma’s ruling military junta is “preparing” for a convention to write a constitution, the prime minister said today.

MYANMAR’S military government said yesterday that its opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was “physically well” and charged that US claims that she was on a hunger strike to protest at her three-month incarceration were the result of “spin doctors”.

A UN envoy visiting Myanmar to secure the release of Aung Saan Suu Kyi will meet the head of the ruling junta today, an aide to the envoy said, in what may be a final bid to see the detained Nobel laureate.

Former Burmese dictator Ne Win’s son-in-law and three grandsons were sentenced to death today for plotting to overthrow the ruling military junta.