If you have been wondering why you're not seeing any new pictures out of Burma at the moment, the reasons are ominous. Obstinately flying in the face of global condemnation, the junta has shut down all communication with the outside world. Decent information about what's going on in the pariah Asian state is scant including disturbing reports of the massacre of maybe thousands of pro-democracy monks. Doctor Sein Win is the Prime Minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. He's also Chairman of the PND, the Party for National Democracy, the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate, leader of Burma's democracy movement, and, probably not coincidentally, Aung San Suu Chi's cousin. When the PND romped home in the country's elections in 2000, the military refused to give up their unelected power and, from then until this latest crackdown, have presided over a reign of terror and suppression. Dr Win's return would mean jail or worse. Dateline spoke with him earlier today from Washington as Burma's Prime Minister in exile.

GEORGE NEGUS: Doctor, at the moment things are looking dire in Burma. Is your country doomed or is it still salvageable?

DR SEIN WIN, EXILED BURMESE PRIME MINISTER: Well you can still rescue it but the international community, the United Nations has to act quick because, as you know, things are deteriorating. We know about the repression against the people, the terror method they use. The people are scared, but at the same time, very angry.

GEORGE NEGUS: So when you say they have to act, Doctor, we're hearing a lot of hand-wringing, a lot of chest-beating, a lot of righteous comments and even hollow threats, but what can the rest of the world do to rescue your people?

DR SEIN WIN: First, of course, the United Nations has to pass a binding resolution if the military ignores the statement, ignore whatever the initiative taken by the UN, then I think the member countries have to act unilaterally or bilaterally and has to put pressure on the military, has to help the people inside, has to help us.

GEORGE NEGUS: But for 45 years Doctor, they have been ignoring any threat, any action taken or words spoken, why should now be any different? They ignore the fact that you and your party were elected. We're talking about regime change here, aren't we?

DR SEIN WIN: Now the situation is really bad, when you look at the people on this street, the first problem is because of the economic situation, as you know. The price hike of the fuel and this remains the same. It has not solved and the country is deteriorating very much. In '88, it was already very bad but not as bad as now. We don't have time.

GEORGE NEGUS: What kind of action? Are we talking about much, much tougher sanctions, real sections, are we talking about military intervention? What are we talking about?

DR SEIN WIN: Yes, tough actions and effective action, sanctions and also to help us, to help the democratic opposition, to help the people inside who are fighting against the military. They need lots of intelligence or information technology, things you are seeing at that time in September are from the opposition taking out.

GEORGE NEGUS: Doctor, I hate to draw a comparison with, say, Iraq, but in Iraq, the United States and the coalition of the willing felt that actual military intervention was all the would work, rightly or wrongly, against Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Is that ultimately going to be the only option open to the world?

DR SEIN WIN: I would like to explain to you that the military is really saying no. For example, they said they would not release Aung San Suu Kyi before the constitution is written. What left if the constitution is already written? What left to negotiate? The peoples are following, wanting to solve the problem in a peaceful way, we don't know how things will go from now on because if the military ignores the people and the international community, what else has the people?

GEORGE NEGUS: At the moment though, your country is a closed country, hardly any information is getting in or out, we don't even really know what is going on there. We hear of deaths in possible thousands, that monks have been taken off to the jungle and slaughtered, what is your information at the moment?

DR SEIN WIN: The worst is happening, in the night-time they raid the house, they have taken photos, videos and are threatening very clearly that they will pick up anybody they saw appeared in the photos and videos and they did that, they are doing this now. People are in the centre in the appalling conditions, people are tortured, especially the '88 Generation leaders, are tortured and we are very concerned about that. Some died, we know that because of the member but we don't know how much have died and they are hiding away the evidence.

GEORGE NEGUS: It's a terrible situation, Doctor, a really dire situation. If the people were to rise up, could we see mass slaughter as a result? Something far worse than '88?

DR SEIN WIN: I don't know, I am not certain about the rising up of the people like now or in '88 of course, if they rise up they have to face another round of brutality are like now. The military seems to be resolved to use that force, that brutality, of that I am certain.

GEORGE NEGUS: Why is it that these military monsters, we all agree they shouldn't be running your country at all, what is it that is allowing them to bluff the rest of the world into inaction?

DR SEIN WIN: The rest of the world is following what you'd call international law and all those mediations and all those things for a long, long time, they are not that kind of civilised regime. We are calling for dialogue and then also, the countries who have real interest are the countries in our region and they are not doing any kind of concrete actions.

GEORGE NEGUS: We are talking about China, Thailand and India here, are we?

DR SEIN WIN: Yeah, China, Thailand and India. China used veto to block the resolution at the Security Council and India should do more and these things are happening that keep them in power.

GEORGE NEGUS: Doctor, what of Aung San Suu Kyi? She is the symbol of the pro-democracy movement in your country, the symbol of your party's stand against the military. What of her? We've heard lately that she is no longer under house arrest, that she is in prison. What do you know?

DR SEIN WIN: Well so far we know that she is under house arrest and Mr Gambari should meet her again when he goes to Rangoon and talk with her and we want to know what Mr Gambari would bring back the news, this time it should be something concrete. So we are all waiting to see what he will bring, concretely.

GEORGE NEGUS: Doctor, I thank you very much for talking to us and I hope the next time we talk together things have improved in your country somewhat.

DR SEIN WIN: You're welcome, thank you.