Burma junta stages pro-government rally in Rangoon

An estimated 50,000 people joined the pro-government rally at the Thuwanna Sports Field in, eyewitnesses said.

The crowd shouted slogans condemning last month's monk-led rebellion and called for the restoration of "peace and security" and for non-interference in 's affairs by international organisations and governments.

Such government-sponsored demonstrations are typical in , which has been under military rule since 1962.

The demonstration follows the brutal crackdown September 26 to 27 on monk-led protests that peaked September 24 and 25 with more than 100,000 people marching through the streets of  calling for political and economic change.

The inevitable crackdown, which authorities claim left 10 dead and more than 2,000 under arrest, has drawn international condemnation of 's regime. Other sources claim the actual death toll in the melee was closer to 200, and maintain that arrests are still taking place and torture of detainees is common.

On Thursday the United Nations Security Council issued a statement "strongly" deploring the  military government's repression of pro-democracy demonstrators.

Although 's military supremo Senior General Than Shwe met with UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari earlier this month, there is little optimism that the junta is sincere about giving up its absolute power any time soon.

Shwe agreed to initiate a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition National League for Democracy who has been living under house arrest for more than 10 years, but only if she drops her support for western sanctions against the regime.

On Friday night the government issued a statement that described the UN Security Council's statement as "deplorable."

"At any costs  will continue implementing the seven-step road map to democracy in keeping with the wishes of the people," said the statement, which was repeated by The New Light of .

The seven-step road map is the junta's proposed solution to bringing democracy to . The process, which includes drafting a new constitution, holding a referendum on it and eventually staging a general election, is expected to take years to implement and will assure the military keeps its dominant role in ruling the country.

The plan has been roundly criticised as a "sham" by opposition politicians, western democracies and the UN, and has lost its last shred of credibility in the aftermath of the anti-military demonstrations of last month.//dpa