Concerned India monitoring situation in Myanmar

The Indian Government today said that it is concerned with the evolving developments in neighbouring Myanmar, and is monitoring the situation there closely.

New Delhi, Sept.26 : The Indian Government today said that it is concerned with the evolving developments in neighbouring Myanmar, and is monitoring the situation there closely.

Calling on authorities in Yangon to work for national reconciliation, a Government spokesman here said:"The Government of India is concerned at and is closely monitoring the situation in Myanmar. It is our hope that all sides will resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue."

"India has always believed that Myanmar's process of political reform and national reconciliation should be more inclusive and broad-based," he added.

The statement came as thousands of Burmese Buddhist monks and other protesters continued to defy a military-backed curfew anad marched through the streets of Rangoon despite a bloody crackdown by police. At least one death is reported. Five received gunshot injuries, Rangoon hospital sources were quoted by reports,as saying.

Monks' shaved heads stained with blood could be seen at the Shwedagon Pagoda where police charged against protesters demanding the end of military rule.

Some marchers started for the city centre while others headed for the home of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Security forces reportedly ringed six monasteries on the ninth day of unrest.

Analysts fear a repeat of the violence in 1988, when troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing thousands.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a UN Security Council meeting on Burma.

A clampdown on the media by Burma's military government, which has banned gatherings of five people or more and imposed a night-time curfew, makes following the exact course of the protests difficult.

It is known that several thousand monks and opposition activists moved away from Shwedagon Pagoda, heading for Sule Pagoda in the city centre.

They are marching down the streets, with the monks in the middle, and ordinary people either side - they are shielding them, forming a human chain, a source was quoted, as saying.

Reports suggest they were prevented from reaching it but other demonstrators did gather at Sule to jeer at soldiers.

Troops responded by firing tear gas and live rounds over the protesters' heads, sending people running for cover.

Monks marching to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly urged civilians not to join them.

At Shwedagon Pagoda, riot police charged against the protesters, leaving a number of monks and nuns covered in blood, some of them apparently seriously injured.

British embassy sources say at least 100 monks were beaten and arrested.

ANI