Signs of armed resistance in Myanmar

By Anwesha Bhaumik

Kolkata, May 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Armed opponents of the Myanmar military junta have killed three administrators appointed by them in the Yangon, Mandalay and Sagaing regions in targeted attacks.

Regime-appointed ward administrators and police informants have been attacked frequently since mid-April, but no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

IANS was the first to report the formation of armed resistance groups among ethnic Burmese from the hardline ranks of protesters upset with the random killings of their comrades.

The 'Federal Army' and few other such groups have now merged into the United Defence Force and hundreds of its new recruits have been undergoing weapons training in camps of ethnic rebel armies like Karen National Union (KNU) .

"It seems the first batch of these recruits are back in cities to start armed action," said a former NLD MP who has served in the army.

But he was not willing to be identified for fear of being dragged to interrogation by the junta.

Municipal ward administration offices, key to the junta's governance network, have been targeted with bomb attacks to oppose new appointments by the regime.

Newly-appointed ward administrators and police informants are increasingly being targeted for collaborating with the junta in arresting anti-regime protesters, striking government staff and other civilians opposing military rule.

A newly-appointed ward administrator was stabbed to death on Thursday by unknown men in Chanmyathazi Township of Mandalay region, police said.

On Tuesday evening, a Kyeekan village tract administrator in Khin-U Township, Sagaing, was stabbed to death outside the village, according to a military-run newspaper.

Motorcyclists also opened fire on the house of Witoke village administrator U Than Myint in Tamu Township, Sagaing, on Monday night.

Tamu is opposite Moreh in India's Manipur state.

U Than Myint and his wife were injured and his daughter and grandson were killed, police said.

The attack follows a search operation in the village by security forces looking for traditional firearms. During the raids, two villagers were beaten and detained by troops, residents told local mediapersons.

Communities across Sagaing are resisting the military with homemade firearms and slingshots.

On Tuesday, a ward administrator in Thaketa Township in Yangon was stabbed to death at his office by three men posing as informants.

Police stations and government and education offices have been attacked with firebombs and homemade bombs since March 14 when the regime killed more than 110 civilians in a day.

The armed resistance have also targeted Chinese business interests.

On Wednesday, three police guards outside an off-take station on the China-installed Rakhine-Yunnan oil and gas pipeline were hacked to death by sword and machete bearing attackers who got away without being identified.

China has expressed deep concerns over the safety of its investments since 32 factories run by its companies were set on fire at the Hlaingtharyar industrial zone on the outskirts of Yangon in March.

Now it has much to worry because the attack on police guards outside the off-take station in Singtaing township in Mandalay section of the 800 km-long pipeline follows social media threats by pro-democracy protesters to blow it up.

The crude oil pipeline carries 22 million tonnes of Middle East crude annually to China's Yunnan province after it is brought to Myanmar's western deep sea port of Kyaukphyu. The pipeline carries 12 million cubic metres of natural gas annually.

China also has a $16 million daily border trade with Myanmar.

The resistance groups are targeting Chinese interests to pressurise Beijing into convincing the Myanmar junta to end its repression and force them to restore parliamentary democracy.

At least 770 people have been killed by the security forces so far in indiscriminate firing on protesting columns, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

More than 3,600 people, including elected leaders, National League for Democracy members, election commissioners, doctors, journalists, protesters, writers and artists, have been detained since the February 1 coup.

Source: IANS