Burma's top general has urged people to vote in favour of a new constitution in a referendum to be held next week.
In a May Day message, Than Shwe said workers should back the charter because workers' representatives had played a part in drafting it.
Burmese authorities say the charter will pave the way for polls in 2010, but critics say it is aimed primarily at further entrenching military rule.
A rights group has accused leaders of silencing opponents of the draft.
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The generals were "continuing to arrest anyone opposed to their sham referendum and denying the population the right to a public discussion of the merits of the draft constitution," said Brad Adams, the group's Asia director.
'Deeply flawed'
The new constitution was drawn up over several years by a National Convention that consisted of delegates hand-picked by the military.
It is part of what Burma's leaders call a "roadmap to democracy" that will, they say, culminate in multi-party elections in 2010.
But the charter allocates a quarter of all seats in parliament to the military and stipulates that any changes to the constitution need the backing of 75% of all delegates.
It also bans detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from office.
Her National League for Democracy, which won elections in 1990 but has never been allowed to take power, is urging people to vote against the new charter.
Earlier in the day, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith described the draft as "deeply flawed".
"I call again on the Burmese regime to engage in a genuine process of political reform and national reconciliation, not a sham 'roadmap to democracy'," he said.
(BBC)
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