Yangon, Sept 03: Myanmar's military government today reiterated its denial of US allegations that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has launched a hunger strike in protest at her ongoing detention. "We have already refuted the US State Department's dubious claims on Aung San Suu Kyi's alleged hunger strike," the Junta said in a statement responding to renewed US claims yesterday that the democracy icon was refusing food.

The State Department said it had "credible reporting" from its Yangon Embassy about Aung San Suu Kyi's situation but refused to publicly divulge its source.

The embassy today declined to reveal when she may have begun the strike and referred questions back to Washington. Myanmar's Junta labelled the latest allegations "more groundless claims". Myanmar's military rulers that it held them responsible for the health of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained after a May 30 ambush on her convoy.

The claims came a day after Myanmar's newly appointed Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt outlined a seven-point roadmap to democracy including "free and fair" elections to be held at an unspecified time under a new constitution.

Observers in Yangon dismissed the speech as a sham and rehash of previous promises to restore restricted democracy to Myanmar. The Junta fiercely denied the us allegations, saying they were "an attempt to overshadow recent political developments in Myanmar".

Bureau Report