The Myanmar Junta has been drawing international opprobrium ever since it refused to accept the 1990 elections. The current crisis has drawn the criticism even of the nations that have a stake in supporting the military regime.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu
"China always adopts a policy of non-interference. As Myanmar`s neighbor, China hopes to see stability and economic development in Myanmar.
"The stability of Myanmar serves the interest of Myanmar itself and the interests of the international community."
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
In a letter to EU heads of state, Brown called for an immediate agreement to "warn the Burmese government that we are watching their behavior and that the EU will impose tougher sanctions if they make the wrong choices".
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: "We need concerted international action to discourage violence. We need to stand together", and encouraged the UN special envoy to hold talks on the crisis as soon as possible.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa
"It is so like the rolling mass action that eventually toppled apartheid," the Nobel peace laureate said in a statement released in Cape Town.
"We admire our brave sisters and brothers in Burma/Myanmar and want them to know that we support their peaceful protests to end a vicious rule of oppression and injustice ... Victory is assured. They are on the winning side, the side of freedom, justice and democracy."
European Commission spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio
"We are indeed very concerned about the situation in Burma. We are following the peaceful protests -- and I stress the word peaceful -- by the Buddhist monks and many people from civil society.
"So far no violence has been used to quell the peaceful demonstrations. However, we are also concerned by an increasing military presence on the streets -- more and more visible -- and therefore we are urging all stakeholders, but particularly the government of Burma/Myanmar, to exercise maximum restraint."
Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
"The international community has encouraged the government not to react disproportionately and to continue to permit the peaceful expression of grievances," Arbour told Reuters in Geneva on the sidelines of a news briefing.
"The fact that the protests are visible is already a measure of protection and appeal for calm to the government. These demonstrations have attracted much more media coverage than in the past and that gives hope that there will not be completely unacceptable reprisals."
Japanese Foreign Ministry statement
"We urge the government of Myanmar to respond calmly to the demonstrations.
"We also strongly urge that the government of Myanmar take seriously the wishes of the people as evidenced by the demonstrations and begin talks with a view to achieving reconciliation and democratization."
Gareth Evans, President of the International Crisis Group
"The regime has a long history of violent reactions to peaceful demonstrations. If serious loss of life is to be averted, those UN members with influence over the government are going to have to come together fast."
Indian Foreign Ministry official
"It is too early to say anything on how these protests will shape up, we have to wait and watch," said the official, who did not want to be named.
