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Burmese army training police and civilians in crowd suppression for 2010 election

HURFOM: The Burmese army continues training police and civilian groups in crowd control and combat tactics in Ye Township, Mon State.  HURFOM sources suspect training is in preparation for political suppression in the coming 2010 election.

During the first week of May, the Military Organization Management Command (MOMC) No. 19, carried out a training for 60 police officers and United Solidarity Development Association (USDA) members in various protest suppression techniques, according to a villager who lives near the MOMC army headquarters in Ye town. The two-week training included lessons in crowd dispersal, group combat tactics and intimidation.  While participants were also trained in weapons use, no weapons were permanently issued.

“This training is special because now the higher ranking police officers are being prepared for protection and crowd control in the coming 2010 election.” Said one villager whose police officer friend had taken part in the training.

During the third week of March, Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 106 in Monekanine also carried out a similar training for police officers from villages around Monekanine. More then 50 police officers attended the training. A villager who lived near the LIB No. 106 camp reported lots of gunfire, shouting of orders and yelling from the police officers.  No definitive word has been received on how broad training will be, nor if they will also be organized in Moulmein or Thanbyuzayat township.

A retired analyst from the New Mon State Party (NMSP), who follows Burmese army training and community organization, said to HURFOM that this kind of situation indicates the Burmese government is preparing for potential unrest during the 2010 election.  He added that police officer training has never been combined with training from local army troops and that these recent trainings have involved soldiers, police officers, as well as members of the USDA all at the same time.

The analyst added, “I am sure the SPDC is preparing for the coming election; they surely know people will not stop their resistance activities.   A big mass of people will stand up at that time.”

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