Bombings in Myanmar capital

[Said1]

Blasts kill 11, wound 162 in Myanmar capital

By Aung Hla Tun
Reuters
Saturday, May 7, 2005; 12:22 PM

YANGON (Reuters) - Three bomb blasts rocked the capital of military-ruled Myanmar on Saturday, killing 11 people and wounding 162 others in an attack the junta blamed on ethnic rebels and exiled political opponents.

It was the latest in a series of explosions in the former Burma, ruled by the military since 1962, and the deadliest in the capital in more than two decades.
"Authorities are in hot pursuit of those who carried out these terrorist acts," Myanmar state television said of the blasts, which occurred minutes apart at a shopping mall, a supermarket and trade center.

It blamed the attacks on three ethnic rebel groups -- the Karen National Union (KNU), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and Shan State Army (SSA) -- and the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).

Continued

 

[NATO AIR]

Wonder how this will turn out. Could there be the beginning of an organized, lethal insurgency against the military regime?

 

[waltky]

Myanmar army chief comes out in favor of country's democracy...

Myanmar army chief advocates democratization
Mon, Mar 28, 2016 - Myanmar’s powerful army chief yesterday vowed to keep the nation “on the path to democracy,” days before Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government takes office after decades of army rule.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing made the remarks at an annual display of military might by Myanmar’s armed forces, a body that long crushed democratic aspirations with an iron fist but has since stewarded the country through a remarkable transition. “I would solemnly impart the fact that the Tatmadaw [army] will cooperate to bring about the prosperity of the union and its citizens,” he said during a speech to troops at the annual Armed Forces Day parade in Naypyidaw. “The two main obstacles to democratization are a failure to abide by the rule of law and regulations and the presence of armed insurgencies. These could lead to chaotic democracy,” he said. “Only if these two obstacles are properly tackled and overcome will there be advancement on the path to democracy.”

Myanmar Armed Forces soldiers march during a military parade in Naypyidaw​

Myanmar has undergone a stunning political transformation since 2011, blossoming from isolation under successive juntas to become an increasingly vibrant nation. Its growing political openness was crowned by November last years’ election that saw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy storm to victory. After a lengthy transition her government is to take over from the outgoing army-backed administration on Wednesday, ending more than five decades of direct and indirect military rule. Aung San Suu Kyi, who is banned by a military-era constitution from becoming president, is to serve as minister of foreign affairs but has vowed to rule through Burmese president-elect Htin Kyaw. Her ability to cooperate with and confront the still powerful military will be a crucial test of her government, which faces a range of challenges including poverty, corruption, years of chronic under-investment and insurgencies by ethnic minority rebels.

The military still holds strong political sway under a charter that reserves a quarter of the Burmese parliament’s seats for unelected soldiers and grants the army chief direct control over three key ministries: Home affairs, border affairs and defense. It also has significant financial clout, with two sprawling military-owned conglomerates owning vast chunks of the economy and decades of wealth accumulated by the military elite over the years. Yesterday’s parade was a vivid reminder of the military’s wealth with polished battle tanks, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles and helicopters all on display. During junta rule, spending on education and healthcare was a fraction of the military’s budget, a daunting legacy which now confronts the incoming civilian government.

Myanmar army chief advocates democratization - Taipei Times

See also:

Myanmar army reasserts its key political role ahead of transition
Sun Mar 27, 2016 | Myanmar's armed forces commander-in-chief stressed on Sunday the need for the military to remain a political force just days before a democratically elected government is set to take power for the first time in 56 years.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, making an Armed Forces Day speech from a podium dwarfed by a towering statue of Myanmar’s three ancient kings in the capital, Naypyitaw, reasserted the military's belief that it is the country’s sole unifying force and protector of the constitution. Though the military had "cooperated with the government and the people", to hold a historic general election in November, that was won by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, it was not yet time to step away from the political arena, he said. "The Tatmadaw has to be present as the leading role in national politics with regards to the ways we stand along the history and the critical situations of the country," Min Aung Hlaing said, referring to the armed forces by their Myanmar name.

The military seized power in a 1962 coup and for decades suppressed all opposition. But it stepped back in 2011, paving the way for a semi-civilian government to prepare for November's election. But it retains important powers. More than 10,000 military personnel marched in a parade marking the day in 1945 when a young nationalist leader, General Aung San, and his followers in a fledgling army turned against Japanese forces occupying their country. Hundreds of veterans, foreign defense attaches and politicians gathered before dawn on a big parade field to watch the ceremony.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (L) shakes hands with Aung San Suu Kyi before their meeting in Hlaing's office at Naypyitaw​

But conspicuously absent was Aung San's daughter, National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Suu Kyi. She attended the ceremony in 2013 but has not since then. Also absent was president-elect Htin Kyaw, Suu Kyi's hand-picked leader who will take power on Friday. Htin Kyaw, a loyal confidant of the hugely popular Suu Kyi, will take the role only because the Noble laureate is barred from holding the position under a military-drafted constitution, which she has openly criticized.

Min Aung Hlaing defended the charter on Sunday, saying it was drafted by ”coordinated efforts of intellectuals, experts from various fields and national races representatives and was ratified by a nationwide referendum”, and paved the way for the November election. The 2008 constitution enshrines deep political powers for the military. A quarter of the parliament seats are reserved for unelected military officers, giving them an effective veto over constitutional changes, and the commander-in-chief remains in control of three key main ministries.

Myanmar army reasserts its key political role ahead of transition

 

[waltky]

Uh-oh, what if dey call in dey's buddies from the middle-east?...

US Fears Heavy Myanmar Hand Could Radicalize Minority Muslims
December 03, 2016 | WASHINGTON — It’s a scene straight out of Myanmar’s dark past: a military offensive waged beyond world view that forces ethnic minority villagers from the smoldering ruins of their homes.

The U.S. government, a key sponsor of Myanmar’s democratic transition, says a security crackdown that has displaced tens of thousands Rohingya Muslims and left an unknown number dead risks radicalizing a downtrodden people and stoking religious tensions in Southeast Asia. The military moved in after armed attacks by unknown assailants on police posts along the border with Bangladesh in October. The attacks in Rakhine State were a possible sign that a small number of Rohingya were starting to fight back against persecution by majority Buddhists who view them as illegal immigrants although many have lived in Myanmar for generations.

U.S. urges less violence

The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Russel, is critical of the military’s heavy-handed approach and says the escalation of violence risks inciting jihadist extremism in the country also known as Burma. He is also calling on neighboring countries, such as Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia, to resist the urge to stage protests that could further stir religious passions. “If mishandled, Rakhine State could be infected and infested by jihadism, which already plagues neighboring Bangladesh and other countries,” Russel said.

The plight of the Rohingya, once characterized by the U.N. as the world’s most friendless people, has attracted the attention of Muslim extremists since a spike in intercommunal violence in Rakhine in 2012 that left hundreds dead and forced more than 100,000 into squalid camps. The Somali-born student who launched a car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University this week reportedly protested on his Facebook page about the killing of minority Muslims in Myanmar. And last weekend, Indonesian authorities arrested two militants who were allegedly planning to attack the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta.

It has also raised hackles in the political mainstream. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak, facing domestic pressure over an investment fund scandal, is reportedly planning to attend a protest in his religiously moderate country this weekend condemning the military operation in Myanmar.

Rohingya people fleeing