The National League for Democracy (NLD), which is headed by the detained Nobel peace prize winner, sent the statement to the military government a day after 500 people marched through Yangon in protest at skyrocketing costs.

“We warned the authorities that they would have to take responsibility for the consequences of any future demonstrations over the increased fuel prices last week. Many people were affected,” NLD spokesman Nyan Win said.

“We pointed out in our statement today that this is not the right time to increase fuel prices because our economic situation is not stable,” he told AFP.

“We will stand up for the people,” he added.

Myanmar’s ruling junta doubled key fuel prices on Wednesday without warning, leaving many employees unable to afford the cost of getting to their work.

About 500 people led by pro-democracy activists on Sunday staged a rare march through the main city of Yangon in protest at the fuel price hike.

The military regime rarely allows any display of public dissent, but so far no one has been arrested over the demonstration.

Official media have yet to mention the nationwide fuel hike, the first in two years. Station operators have been at a loss to explain the sudden increase to angry customers.

Aung San Suu Kyi rose to prominence after a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was sparked in part because of the nation’s crushing economic problems.

Hundreds or even thousands of people are believed to have been killed when troops opened fire on the mass student protests demanding an end to military dictatorship.

A month later, Aung San Suu Kyi helped found the opposition NLD, which won 1990 elections in a landslide. The military has never recognised the results.

Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the years since then under house arrest, despite international appeals for her release.