Yangon - Tens of thousands of pro-government protesters
gathered in Yangon Saturday morning for an orchestrated demonstration
against last month's unrest that left at least 10 people dead after a
military crackdown in the city, the former capital.
An estimated 50,000 people joined the pro-government rally at the
Thuwanna Sports Field in Yangon, eyewitnesses said.
The crowd shouted slogans condemning last month's monk-led
rebellion and called for the restoration of 'peace and security' and
for non-interference in Myanmar's affairs by international
organizations and governments.
Such government-sponsored demonstrations are typical in Myanmar,
which has been under military rule since 1962.
The demonstration follows the brutal crackdown September 26 to 27
on monk-led protests that peaked September 24 and 25 with more than
100,000 people marching through the streets of Yangon calling for
political and economic change.
The inevitable crackdown, which authorities claim left 10 dead
and more than 2,000 under arrest, has drawn international
condemnation of Myanmar's regime. Other sources claim the actual
death toll in the melee was closer to 200, and maintain that arrests
are still taking place and torture of detainees is common.
On Thursday the United Nations Security Council issued a statement
'strongly' deploring the Myanmar military government's repression of
pro-democracy demonstrators.
Although Myanmar's military supremo Senior General Than Shwe met
with UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari earlier this month, there is
little optimism that the junta is sincere about giving up its
absolute power any time soon.
Shwe agreed to initiate a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, the
leader of the opposition National League for Democracy who has been
living under house arrest for more than 10 years, but only if she
drops her support for western sanctions against the regime.
On Friday night the government issued a statement that described
the UN Security Council's statement as 'deplorable.'
'At any costs Myanmar will continue implementing the seven-step
road map to democracy in keeping with the wishes of the people,' said
the statement, which was repeated by The New Light of Myanmar.
The seven-step road map is the junta's proposed solution to
bringing democracy to Myanmar. The process, which includes drafting a
new constitution, holding a referendum on it and eventually staging a
general election, is expected to take years to implement and will
assure the military keeps its dominant role in ruling the country.
The plan has been roundly criticized as a 'sham' by opposition
politicians, western democracies and the UN, and has lost its last
shred of credibility in the aftermath of the anti-military
demonstrations of last month.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
Your Talkback on this Story