One of the leaders of Burma's military government has criticized economic sanctions recently imposed on Rangoon over the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
State media (on Thursday) quoted General Khin Nyunt, the head of Burma's military intelligence, as saying that sanctions are designed to bring about unemployment and recession.
He said that, among other things, young Burmese women may fall prey to human trafficking or other instances of what he called "human decay" as a result of the sanctions.
The general's remarks came just days after President Bush signed into law a new package of economic sanctions against Burma. The European Union and Japan also slapped sanctions on Rangoon following the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi on May 30th.
Information for this report is provided by AFP.