Burma’s junta blamed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party for inciting unrest and instigating Buddhist monks to take part in growing protests over fuel price hikes, state-run media reported Saturday.
The military regime also accused pro-democracy groups outside Burma and foreign media of deliberately spreading false information to destabilize the government, comparing the current situation to mass protests in 1988 when thousands of demonstrators were believed killed by security forces.
"Internal and external destructive elements are inciting a period of civil unrest like the one in 1988," The New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported. "It has been found that foreign broadcasting stations are launching political propaganda and exaggerated news reports on the demonstrations with the intent of misleading the public."
The report comes as Buddhist monks in northern Burma, angry at being beaten up for protesting fuel price rises, smashed up a shop belonging to supporters of the military government, witnesses said.
Protests have been ongoing since the regime hiked fuel prices last month by as much as 500 percent. Dozens of activists who took part in the protests have been detained and the military is scouring the country for other participants who went into hiding.
The ruling junta—criticized internationally for violating human rights—tolerates little public dissent and has detained hundreds of political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.
The military regime held general elections in 1990, but refused to honor the results when Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won. Suu Kyi has been detained under house arrest for more than 11 years.
The military regime also accused pro-democracy groups outside Burma and foreign media of deliberately spreading false information to destabilize the government, comparing the current situation to mass protests in 1988 when thousands of demonstrators were believed killed by security forces.
"Internal and external destructive elements are inciting a period of civil unrest like the one in 1988," The New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported. "It has been found that foreign broadcasting stations are launching political propaganda and exaggerated news reports on the demonstrations with the intent of misleading the public."
The report comes as Buddhist monks in northern Burma, angry at being beaten up for protesting fuel price rises, smashed up a shop belonging to supporters of the military government, witnesses said.
Protests have been ongoing since the regime hiked fuel prices last month by as much as 500 percent. Dozens of activists who took part in the protests have been detained and the military is scouring the country for other participants who went into hiding.
The ruling junta—criticized internationally for violating human rights—tolerates little public dissent and has detained hundreds of political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.
The military regime held general elections in 1990, but refused to honor the results when Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won. Suu Kyi has been detained under house arrest for more than 11 years.
