Bangkok, Sept 07: Myanmar's military government lashed out at the United States today, calling a recent American claim that detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was on a hunger strike "irresponsible". The US State Department said last week that it had received credible reports that Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel peace prize, had begun fasting to protest her detention. Myanmar officials denied the assertion.
However, a Red Cross official said today that Suu Kyi was well and not on a hunger strike after a team from the organisation visited her.
"Myanmar has been frequently attacked, the latest of which was the yet another irresponsible claim launched by the US Department of State," the government said in a statement, apparently referring to the reports about Suu Kyi.
"It is astounding that the most powerful nation on earth would resort to such tactics as crying 'wolf' in meddling with Myanmar's internal matters," it said, describing Myanmar as a "small, peaceful country" that poses no threat to the United States.
The statement said the United States is using democracy as a pretext for carrying out "self-centered actions".
It accused the United States of waging a campaign of "misinformation, misinformation and fabrication" against countries it does not favour.
Suu Kyi was arrested after a clash between her supporters and a pro-government mob on May 30 while she was on a tour of northern Myanmar.
Bureau Report