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Under glare of publicity, Myanmar softens tactics (Seth Mydans, September 7, 2007, IHT)

The authorities in Myanmar, apparently bowing to bad publicity, released a political prisoner Friday whose leg was broken when he was arrested in the recent outbreak of anti-government protests. His case had gained international attention when fellow prisoners staged a hunger strike calling for his freedom.

On Thursday, a delegation of military officers was briefly held hostage by Buddhist monks at a temple near the main city of Yangon. They had reportedly gone there to apologize to the monks for treating them roughly during a demonstration the day before.

These are not the kind of conciliatory gestures Myanmar's iron-fisted military junta is known for. But it has been put on the defensive by an unusual campaign of public protests over the past three weeks, just as it is trying to portray itself to the world as a mature, democratically-oriented military government.