[JURIST] The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) wants access to thousands of people that have been detained in Myanmar [press release] in an ongoing crackdown [JURIST report] on opponents of the ruling military junta, ICRC Director of Operations Pierre Kraehenbuehl said Tuesday. Kraehenbuehl said the ICRC has not been able to communicate with the ruling junta, and is "deeply worried" about the fate of the people arrested in Myanmar. At least 10 people have been killed by soldiers shooting into crowds during demonstrations, and a protester died during interrogation [JURIST reports] last week. Dissident groups have suggested that some hundreds and perhaps even thousands have been killed. Reuters has more.

On Monday, UN Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari [official profile] criticized Myanmar's detention of four more pro-democracy activists [JURIST report], urging the military government to release political prisoners and end the detention of peaceful democracy activists. Gambari is currently visiting Asian states to solicit greater support for multilateral sanctions against Myanmar. The latest detainees, all members of the 1988 Generation Students group [BBC backgrounder], were detained after Myanmar's military government rejected [JURIST report] a UN Security Council statement [text; UN News report] denouncing the country's violent reaction against peaceful demonstrators.