UN envoy warns of possible civil war in Myanmar

The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar has repeated her warning that civil war could erupt in the country, saying people are arming themselves against the military junta and protesters have started shifting from defensive to offensive actions.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Foreign Press Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo, Christine Schraner Burgener said the country's situation was worsening with a hampered health sector and a collapsing banking system.

"People will soon also suffer from hunger and clearly if they only see a way out through violence and if the ethnic armed organisations continue to give them support _ which is also clearly good because they show unity _ but if they give support in a violent way then it goes in the direction of a civil war," she said Friday.