Oct 4, 2007 (DVB), A spokesperson for the All-Burmese Monks Alliance has said that monks and civilians are still working hard to change the political system despite the apparent lull in their activities.

Speaking in an interview with DVB, U Gambira said that protests have not stopped but have simply taken on different forms, claiming that monks and civilians are committed to bringing about political change.

While the protests did not have as great an impact as monks had expected, U Gambira believes they achieved important results.

"Having a lot of monks and civilians killed and detained during the protests is proof to everyone that these men are not the real leaders of our country. They are just ruthless killers and dictators. Now the whole world has seen what they really are," he said.

U Gambira called on the international community to take effective action to help the Burmese people.

"This is not the time for arms embargoes and sanctions as they will only show effect in 10-15 years' time. For now, we need something that will have an immediate effect on the current situation," he said.

"Rather than the international community calling for meetings and having discussions about Burma, we would suggest they send humanitarian aid to give us a chance to protest without harassment."

Interview by Htet Aung Kyaw, reporting by DVB