This comes on the heels of a statement by the United Nations Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who stated that the holding of the dissidents was “extremely disturbing.” He noted that the continuing arrests and holding of politicians opposed to military rule was counterproductive to the spirit of mutual engagement. "These actions must stop at once," he stated while in Bangkok, the capital of neighboring Thailand.

Myanmar has seen protests led by Buddhist monks, often with tens of thousands of people joining in the rallies. Witnesses claim that the military has rounded up citizens and forced them to partake in counter-demonstrations, which were to express support for the Junta's continued repression of human rights.

The National League for Democracy, which is headed by Aung San Suu Kyi - both a Nobel Peace Prize and a political prisoner in her own country - has called for an immediate release of political prisoners, and claims that the ruling junta has imprisoned and tortured Buddhist monks and nuns, among others.

The United States, along with the European Union, have also been putting pressure on Myanmar to give greater freedoms to its citizens. It is now facing looming economic sanctions from both the US and the EU.

Unfortunately, things look bleak for the people of Myanmar. The UN Special Envoy has been trying to get the junta and various political groups to work a compromise on various issues, but the junta appears to be unwilling.

The junta claims that they have a seven-step road map to democracy. However, only the first step has been completed, and that took ten years to finish, so most people are skeptical that the military will ever release their grip on power.