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YANGON- Myanmar's military rulers Sunday threatened to take "effective action" against pro-democracy supporters who have staged a rare string of anti-junta protests across the country over the last three weeks.
Myanmar took the unusual step of issuing a statement directly to the news media, accusing the National League for Democracy (NLD) of trying to instigate nationwide unrest.
"They agitated through various means to instigate riots and unrest among the people. The NLD conspired to create this situation to derail the national political process," it said.
The government also blamed the party, which is headed by the detained Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, for inciting Buddhist monks in the central town of Pakokku to destroy the homes and shops of pro-junta militia leaders.
The monks also held about 20 government officials hostage for several hours on Thursday, in the most dramatic standoff with the government since the protests broke out on August 19.
"Under these circumstances, the government will never tolerate such malicious acts and will take effective action against those committing such acts in accordance with the existing law," the statement said.
Normally such statements would be filtered through official media, sometimes several days later, but the three-page document dated Saturday was given directly to journalists on Sunday and reported immediately in the state press.
Amnesty International estimates that more than 150 people have been arrested over the protests, which were sparked by a massive hike in fuel prices last month.
The government again defended the price hike in the statement Sunday, saying it was necessary because of high world oil prices that had made fuel subsidies unaffordable.
Myanmar's crackdown on dissent has sparked an international outcry, with US President George W. Bush lashing the junta as "tyrannical." -AFP/vm
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