Burma is rejecting a U.S. human rights report that condemns the military-run country's rights record.
The official New Light of Myanmar quoted Burma's Foreign Ministry Saturday as saying that the report carries a number of unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations of human rights violations that are aimed at smearing the country's image.
On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department released its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006. In it, Washington categorized Burma, as well as countries including North Korea, China and Russia, as some of the world's worst human rights offenders.
The report accused Burma of using executions, rape, torture, random detentions, and forced relocation of entire villages, particularly of ethnic minorities, to maintain its grip on power.
The U.S report also says that surveillance of political activists continues in Burma and notes that 1,100 political prisoners remain behind bars.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
