The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Yangon

Myanmar's military government squashed a new protest Friday by pro-democracy supporters in downtown Yangon, as activists said the demonstrations had spread to other parts of the country. A group of 20 demonstrators, mainly women, had gathered near Yangon's city hall to rally against a massive hike in fuel prices that has sparked the most sustained protests against the junta in at least nine years. "They were arrested before they could do anything. They had just started walking," said an activist who witnessed the arrests. The protesters were taken inside city hall, which is under tight security and surrounded by barricades and transport trucks, the activist added.

Dozens of people have already been arrested over protests this week, including some of the country's most prominent pro-democracy activists.

But they are undeterred by the crackdown and have vowed to rally again.

"There will be more protests. We are trying to hold more protests in the future. But right now we have to make a plan, because we don't want to lose our strength," one activist said.

Myanmar's repressive junta keeps a tight lid on any dissent but analysts say the regime has been shaken by the protesters' persistence.

About 500 people marched through Yangon on Sunday having been angered by last week's fuel price increase, which doubled transport fares and left many workers unable to afford even the bus fare to get to their jobs.