[JURIST] Myanmar's military government Friday rejected a UN Security Council [official website] denunciation [statement text; press release] of its use of violence against peaceful demonstrators and its accompanying call on the government to release political prisoners and negotiate with the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi [JURIST news archive; BBC profile]. The junta said September's actions against protesters were not of international concern, and insisted on continuing with its seven-step plan to democratic rule. So far, only the first step has been completed with the drafting of guidelines for a new constitution [JURIST report]. Critics contend that the drafting was essentially staged by the junta.

The Myanmar government began cracking down on protesters [JURIST report] late last month, arresting hundreds of Buddhist monks demonstrating against human rights abuses by the military government. Government authorities subsequently raided several Buddhist monasteries, detaining monks [JURIST report] the junta believed to have led the demonstrations. While the junta reported only 10 deaths in the protests, dissident groups claim that some hundred and perhaps even thousands of people have been executed and over 6,000 detained. AP has more.