NEW YORK, Sept. 27 Human Rights Watch said China, Thailand, Russia and India, as Myanmar's allies, should urge the military junta in Yangon to peacefully deal with its crisis.
The New York group also said the countries should ask the military rulers in the country formerly known as Burma to release all the arrested anti-government protesters.
"The Burmese military has shown in the past a willingness to kill peaceful protesters to end demonstrations," said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, referring to the 1988 crackdown in which some 3,000 people were killed. "If the military government is going to listen to anyone, it will be countries with which it has close military and economic ties. Now is the time for these countries to show that they care about the health and welfare of the Burmese people. "
Human Rights Watch said it has received reports that military units have been placed outside major cities and towns to prepare to raid Buddhist monasteries and arrest key leaders of the demonstrations.
Copyright 2007 by UPI
