Myanmar Condemned by U.K.; EU Seeks Political Change (Update4)

By Alan Crawford and Camilla Hall

Sept. 24 (Bloomberg) -- European governments criticized Myanmar's military regime and backed opposition protests as demonstrators led by Buddhist monks marched in the largest city, Yangon, to demand democratic change.

The U.K. ``deplores the continued repression of ordinary citizens by the Burmese regime,'' Michael Ellam, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman, told reporters in London today. Burma is the former name for Myanmar. The government is ``deeply concerned by reports of further acts of violence by security officials against peaceful demonstrators,'' Ellam said.

``There is a golden thread of common humanity that across the nations and faiths binds us together and it can light the darkest corners of the world,'' Brown told the annual conference of his Labour Party in the English resort of Bournemouth. ``The message should go out to anyone facing persecution anywhere from Burma to Zimbabwe: human rights are universal and no injustice can last for ever.''

The European Union urged ``real political reform'' and France noted the widespread ``discontent'' in Myanmar, adding to international pressure on the junta as domestic opposition gathers pace. Monks led about 100,000 people from the Shwedagon Pagoda shrine through Yangon's streets today in the biggest demonstration in the city since a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was quashed by the military, the Associated Press reported.

Myanmar's government threatened to ``take action'' against the monks, Agence France-Presse reported, citing comments made on state television today attributed to the religion minister, Brigadier General Thura Myint Maung, when he met with senior members of the clergy.

`Held Responsible'

``The junta will be held responsible by the international community for the safety of the protesters,'' France's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. ``The size of the demonstrations and the involvement of the monks underline the discontent of the Burmese people.''

The EU called on Myanmar's leaders to ``exercise utmost restraint in handling demonstrations,'' said Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. ``We hope that the regime will use this opportunity to launch a process of real political reform.''

The German government said it welcomed ``the peaceful course of demonstrations'' in Myanmar. ``If the government of Myanmar is serious about its reform plans, then it must not prevent this expression of opinions,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said at a news conference in Berlin.

Fuel-Price Revolt

Myanmar has been under international sanctions since 1990, when the army rejected the results of elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. Demonstrations against the regime have intensified since the doubling of some fuel prices last month, posing the biggest challenge to the regime since monks led the 1988 revolt.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday described the Myanmar military junta's abuse of civil rights as brutal.

Two of Myanmar's southeastern Asian neighbors also commented on the country today, with Singapore's government saying it hoped the protests will end without violence, and the Philippines urging the development of democracy.

``Nothing like this has been seen for two decades or more,'' Mark Canning, U.K. ambassador to Myanmar, said in a telephone interview from Yangon. ``Translating this into positive political change will be difficult.''

Economic Hardship

The protests reflect the economic hardship of the people and their frustration at the lack of political progress, Canning said. Gatherings were taking place across Yangon, the former capital, and in other centers such as Mandalay, Canning said. The government had shown ``commendable restraint,'' he said.

Germany, current holder of the presidency of the Group of Eight leading nations, issued a demand together with the Portuguese presidency of the European Union for the release of those arrested during the protests, Jaeger said.

``We also urgently wish that Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who is still in captivity, will be released,'' Jaeger said. ``The German government is monitoring the situation in Myanmar closely.''

Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, also backed the protest. ``I extend my support and solidarity with the recent peaceful movement for democracy in Burma,'' the Dalai Lama said in a statement, AFP reported.

To contact the reporters on this story: Alan Crawford in Berlin at acrawford6@bloomberg.net ; Camilla Hall in London at chall24@bloomberg.net .

Last Updated: September 24, 2007 12:46 EDT