Myanmar's ruling military junta warned Monday it would "take action" against roughly 10,000 monks and thousands of other activists who, for eight days, have staged the country's largest anti-government challenge in nearly 20 years.

Brig. Gen. Thura Myint Maung, religious affairs minister for the southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma, threatened to use the military against the protesters. The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks has been leading the protests in Yangon, the city formerly known as Rangoon.

Protesters gather before the march in Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, on Monday.
(Mandalay Gazette/Associated Press)

The minister did not say what the regime would do; only that its actions would be within the law.

"If the monks go against the rules and regulations in the authority of the Buddhist teachings, we will take action under the existing law," state television quoted him as saying on Monday.

The regime's warning served as a reminder of the brutal 1988 crackdown in Yangon, during which more than 3,000 pro-democracy demonstrators were gunned down in the streets.

Before the protests began last week, 1988 was the last time Yangon saw such a large gathering of political dissenters.

The marchers on Monday filed down a long, straight road toward the Defence Ministry offices. Gauging the size of the moving crowd was difficult, but estimates of the number of protesters ranged from at least 50,000 to 100,000.

The protests were triggered by the government's decision in August to double the price of fuel, which hit people hard in the impoverished nation.

China pressure to restrain use of force

The monks alliance has vowed in a written statement to continue the marches until they've "wiped the military dictatorship from the land," according to the BBC.

So far the government had appeared reluctant to use force. 

A southeast Asian diplomat, speaking on condition anonymity, said Myanmar's government is under pressure from China to avoid a crackdown.

"The Myanmar government is tolerating the protesters and not taking any action against the monks because of pressure from China," the diplomat said earlier.

"Beijing is to host the next summer's Olympic Games. Everyone knows that China is the major supporter of the junta, so if government takes any action it will affect the image of China."

'We have to…take care of the monks'

Others fear the military will use force soon.

"As the demonstrations continue, I think the fewer options the military has," Aung Naing Oo, a former student leader, told CBC News.

"Make no mistake about it, the military has a track record, history and intent to continue in power. So to do that, they have to kill, to crack down on the opposition groups and the monks."

Local celebrities supported the protesters on Monday, with actor Kyaw Thu and comedian Zargana offering food and water to monks gathering to protest.

"We are Buddhist, all Buddhists have to support this movement," Kyaw Thu said. "We will do whatever we have to do to take care of the monks. They are doing a lot on behalf of the people."

With files from the Associated Press