More protesters held in Myanmar

The New Light of Myanmar quoted investigators as saying the authorities have also detained 533 monks for questioning “to differentiate between real monks and bogus monks.”

 

 

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“Out of those taken, 398 monks have been sent back to their respective monasteries,” the paper said.

The newspaper also said thousands of people have reportedly attended rallies across the country in support of the government.

Malaysia has urged Myanmar’s military leaders to hold unconditional talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy opposition leader.

According to Bernama, the Malaysian state national news agency, Syed Hamid Albar, the foreign minister, said: “Let there be a meeting without any preconditions to discuss the future of Myanmar before the international community enforces stronger pressure.”

 

Albar also said that the Malaysian government disagreed with any attempt to impose economic sanctions, or the use of military action against Myanmar.

 

‘Internal affair’

He was quoted as saying that the situation in Myanmar was “an issue of the violation of laws and basic human rights, not a threat toward international peace and security”.

China and Russia hold a similar view, saying that the unrest is “an internal affair”.

Demonstrations were held on Sunday in South Korea and Thailand, two days after Ibrahim Gambari, the UN special envoy to Myanmar, urged the country’s military to talk to Suu Kyi.

 

The rallies came a day after thousands of people across the world took to the streets in support of protests against Myanmar’s military rulers.

At least 3,000 people took part in a demonstration in London, while similar gatherings in other European, Asian and North American cities on Saturday attracted smaller crowds.

Senior Gen Than Shwe, the country’s military leader has said he would meet Suu Kyi if she stopped confronting the government.