The Archbishop of Dublin has today criticised the continuing violence in Burma saying the escalating brutality demonstrates the need for "moral training" in the development of a healthy society.
Speaking at a mass to mark the opening of the new Law Term in Dublin this morning, Dr Diarmuid Martin said he had a strong interest in and concern for Burma.
He said the peaceful demonstrators and the dignity of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, "starkly contrasted with a regime which had degenerated into brutality, because of the total absence of moral convictions".
Dr Martin spoke of the "contrast of the peaceful march of the Buddhist monks, clad in their simple robes and devoid of any of the traditional symbols and trappings of power and on the other hand, the exercise of sheer power on the part of a corrupt and cynical regime which is devoid even of an ideology, except that of holding on to power."
Burma, said Dr Martin, is a clear example of "the significance of virtue, of moral convictions and moral training for the health of a society".
Meanwhile, human rights organisation Amnesty International has called for a UN arms embargo against Burma's ruling military junta.
Amnesty also called on individual countries that are major suppliers of arms to the junta - such as China and India - to cease arms trade with the region.
China has supplied the Burmese junta with a wide range of military equipment, including tanks, armoured personnel carriers and artillery pieces since 1988 and has not regularly reported its arms transfers to the United Nations, according to Amnesty sources.
The human rights watchdog also reports that in January this year, the Indian Foreign Minister promised to give a so-called 'favourable response' to the Burmese junta's request for military equipment, which saw military forces from the two country's conduct joint military exercises in April.
Reports also indicate an Indian agreement with Burma to supply a variety of military hardware including tanks, aircraft, artillery guns, radar, small arms and an 'advanced light helicopter' which is highly likely to contain components, technology and munitions originating from member states of the European Union and the USA, says Amnesty.
Today, Secretary General of Amnesty International, Irene Khan, said: "An unambiguous message must be sent urgently to Myanmar military leaders that their brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors will not be tolerated or fuelled by any member of the international community."
"It is unacceptable for states to continue to supply arms to a government that is already responsible for persistent serious violations of human rights and which now resorts to violence against peaceful demonstrators," she added.